Travel search spend rises in Q2

The UK travel sector saw an increase of 2% in search spend in the second quarter of 2011 compared to last year, according to a report from Efficient Frontier.

The UK travel sector saw an increase of 2% in search spend in the second quarter of 2011 compared to last year, according to a report from Efficient Frontier.


However, the agency’s Global Digital Marketing Performance report revealed year-on-year growth in return on investment (ROI) of 18%.


There was a 30% year-on-year rise in clicks, countered by a 15-30% fall in cost per click across the company’s sample of travel clients.


Although impressions fell quarter on quarter, click volume increased. This translates into a 9% rise in click through rate from Q1 to Q2.


The report said: “This may be due the holiday season approaching, consumers have become more specific with their search and hence a rise in click through rate.


“In fact, we saw a rise in click through rate from Q1 to Q2 in 2010 as well.”


In the UK market in general, the report revealed a shift of spend share from Yahoo and Bing to Google, which continues to dominate with a share of 92.5%.


UK search spend grew 7% year on year in Q2 but ROI fell by 3% compared to last year.