Web flight searches continue downward trend

Hitwise has unveiled web data showing flight searches are still significantly down compared to the same period last year. Figures published a week ago and criticised in some quarters because of the difference in the way the holidays fell for the two years, showed a 42% dip for the week ending January 3. However, theā€¦

Hitwise has unveiled web data showing flight searches are still significantly down compared to the same period last year.

Figures published a week ago and criticised in some quarters because of the difference in the way the holidays fell for the two years, showed a 42% dip for the week ending January 3.

However, the latest figures show a similar downward trend with flight searches for the week ending January 10 down 40%.

Hitwise plans to update the data again next week but says the later booking pattern could be one explanation for the slump.

The market research specialist also looked at whether the down trend was attributable to the increase in branded searches revealing that 95.7% of searches for the top 500 terms, which account for 70% of search volume, were branded this year compared to 94.4% last year.

Hitwise believes that the online travel season could spread further into January because of the economic situation – based on the slowing rate of annual decline in flight searches and traffic to travel sites.