Kevin May is the editor of one of the leading industry travel magazines and blog, Travolution , based in Surrey, England. The magazine provides commentary and analysis about the online travel industry. So naturally we wanted to gain some insider knowledge for our blog. Here he talks about online travel and tourism trends, such as social travel sites, (like tripwolf) becoming increasingly popular for consumers.
1. What are your favorite travel destinations? Nepal, Vietnam and Indonesia.
2. What are popular destinations for British travelers? The pound is not that strong at the moment compared to the Euro, so there is the start of a little bit of belt-tightening by consumers. The US remains a popular destination but the situation is very different compared to just a year ago.
3. You are the editor of the travolution blog, commenting on the travel and tourism industry, what current travel trends are you seeing right now in the industry?
I also edit Travolution magazine, website, our podcasts, and organize our events and awards programs. There is a desire amongst consumers to conduct as much research as possible online, before making a booking, so content sites are becoming increasingly popular and influential. The low-cost carriers remain influential players in Europe in terms of destinations and the drive toward dynamic packaging (consumers picking a flight and hotel themselves, rather than via package) continues to grow.
4. Do you see customized travel as a growing market trend?
It has been around for a few years. The big travel providers in Europe have woken up to what consumers want and are starting to provide these services to customers.
5. A recent study suggests that user-generated content sites are taking over brands, it has empowered and engaged travelers, what do you think about this?
Brands are strong offline, but they struggle amongst the ‘noise’ on the web. UGC is hugely important, however, and the likes of TripAdvisor have shown how much trust consumers put in the reviews of fellow travelers.
6.With online travel being the biggest industry for e-commerce, what is happening to the high street travel agents in England?
High Street travel agents have struggled in recent years to compete against the rise of online-based companies. Hugely commoditized products such as flights, have found a particular niche on the web, and hotels to a lesser extent. Agencies will survive, there is no doubt about that, but they will have to learn to set themselves apart against those with a strong online presence, primarily through differentiation of product, specialization into niche areas such as, cruise products, and simply by having strong product knowledge.
7.What are your thoughts about travel 2.0/social travel guides?
It is just part of a wider changing landscape for both travel companies and consumer behavior. Some consumers are using social travel guides to help them research products as well as share knowledge and experiences. But the vast majority of travel products will continue for the time being, to be sold without the need for apparent Travel 2.0 principles, simply because they are just that – simple.
Thanks Kevin
Jennifer/tripwolf
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