Country mice less interested in buying travel services

Pew reports that 62 percent of rural residents use the Internet, compared with 70 percent elsewhere. The figure includes use of dial-up service and Internet access at work. Country mice are also a bit more likely, Pew finds, to participate in online education and to download games. But they're less interested in banking online and buying travel services.

Helicopter gives ultimate ski-lift

Tuesday, February 28, 2006; Posted: 9:51 a.m. EST (14:51 GMT)

Skiers can make as many helicopter runs as they like -- with 830,000 acres of wilderness to explore.

WHISTLER, Canada (CNN) -- Oleg, Dmitri and Anton have come a long way from St. Petersburg, Russia.

First there was the 12-hour flight to Vancouver on Canada's west coast. From there, a two-hour helicopter trip south to the Chilcotin mountains -- or a three-hour drive from Whistler -- one of North America's most popular ski resorts.

But these skiers don't want what a traditional ski resort has to offer. They've come for untamed slopes and unlimited access to them -- all 830,000 acres -- via the ultimate personal ski-lift: a helicopter.

There are those who might question why they've come to Canada when there are some amazing slopes and resorts in Europe.

"Well, it's really the wilderness and space you don't have in Europe," says James Moreland of Elemental Adventure, a company that caters to thrill-seekers in different parts of the world.

"In Europe, there's no space. Here you can look out in one direction and know for thousands of miles, there's not a lot."

The St. Petersburg group is paying for the platinum package -- private chalet on Tyaughton Lake, meals prepared by a personal chef and personal service from a chalet host.

Each chalet also boasts a Jacuzzi on the front deck with a lakefront view so you can soak your muscles as you soak in the view. And if you're still feeling sore after a long day of skiing, a personal masseuse is always on hand.

But it's the unlimited helicopter runs rather than the luxury that has convinced them to pay $20,000 each for a week of skiing.

"You've got an area probably 50 times the size of an average resort in Europe," says Moreland, "and you've got the place all to yourself."

Horst Moosburger is another heliskiing convert, although his group is staying in the less expensive accommodation nearby at Tyax Lodge Mountain Resort.

He hails from Munich, Germany, but has shunned the slopes of Europe in favor of Canada.

"One reason is heliskiing and the next reason is heliskiing and the third reason is heliskiing," Moosburger says.

"I've been in France, I've been in Italy, Austria, all over European great ski stations, but this you don't have. You have it once, you have it 10 times a day."

There are, of course, dangers to heliskiing -- the weather conditions are constantly monitored and each team consists of an experienced pilot and at least one guide.

But for skiers like the group from Munich the excitement of being on the edge only enhances the enjoyment.

The growing popularity of heliskiing has seen Elemental Adventure Heliskiing extend its range of packages to include the Himalayas, Russia, and Greenland.

But Canada is where heliskiing began and with its excellent weather record and first-class resorts, it remains a favorite among heliskiing enthusiasts.

"You cannot do it better anywhere else in the world," Moosburger says.

Ringing Online Travel Bells

Southwest's desktop program DING! is indicative of the next phase of direct, permission-based marketing to consumers looking for flight deals.

by Alexandra DeFelice, DestinationCRM.com

Monday, December 05, 2005

 

The Spark! advisory, research conducted by marketing research firm Compete and released today, sites Southwest Airlines' DING! program as an innovative leader in marketing online travel. Compete found that DING! helps drive customer loyalty. The average online travel prospect engages in 27 percent more cross-shopping activity than two years ago, according to the report. "Consumers no longer trust that a single site can provide them with all the information and resources they need," says Gregory Saks, senior associate at Compete. "Travel suppliers have traditionally turned to rewards programs to create and maintain loyalty, but it's not having that kind of effect. Today, it is clear that marketers need to look beyond [simple] rewards to maintain strong customer relationships."

Compete's analysis of some of the leading hotel loyalty programs found that the shopping behavior of travelers was nearly identical for rewards program members and nonmembers. Rewards members evaluate 5.9 supplier or agency sites compared to the 6.3 that nonmembers consider, and some programs have no effect.

Since launching DING! in February 2005, Southwest's program had roughly 1 million downloads; DING! users are 45 percent more likely to book through Southwest, according to the study. At current usage levels the incremental bookings driven through DING! are estimated to be roughly $60 million per year. Consumers download the free program from Southwest's Web site and get access to special deals not listed elsewhere. The opt-in strategy is mutually beneficial and helps drive loyalty, Saks says. "DING! is a method for Southwest to deliver to its customers hot deals [and] low fares, so customers think, "This is great. No other program gives me access to this. For Southwest, they find a chance to [offload] their inventory that might otherwise go unused or sold at a much lower discount. It's an effective mechanism to distribute to this loyal customer base."

Once customers download this program, they click on five or more offers per month, indicating a level of engagement they are seeking to continue and are not annoyed by. In its current form the program still sends messages to some users that may not be relevant, but most are willing to overlook that for the bargains they do find. "It's hit or miss whether they offer destinations that I'm interested in, but when they do, I get bargain-basement steals," one customer writes.

Desktop applications have been successful in other industries like search engine marketing, according to Saks, and offer marketers an opportunity to extend their brands beyond a Web site. "As long as they deliver relevant and timely information, these new always-on services will be embraced by customers," the study says. "Desktop applications offer marketers a permission-based glimpse into how consumers react to and use their programs, potentially enabling precise, behaviorally targeted communications."

"Travel marketers who are on the fence about deploying this type of program must realize that a race to establish desktop relationships has already begun," Saks says. "Certainly a lot of other travel providers will be investing in this type of program. There is certainly a race to own customer relationships [but] there is a limited amount of real estate the consumers will be willing to give up on their desktops. Southwest definitely has the first mover's advantage."

Independent women are a travel agent's dream

The travel industry says men are more price-sensitive and fonder of travel than women. And while male travelers enjoy going overseas for its own sake and stress sightseeing, women care more about facilities, be it the spa in their hotel or the shopping opportunities. That is the reason women travelers tend to favor cities over historic sites and staying in one place over touring. Where there is a market, there is a provider, and travel agencies have started tailoring tours to women travelers. Nextour sells three days at the Ryokan "fairytale village," a special package for women that allows them to enjoy the hot springs the Japanese destination is famous for but does not cram their days with outings and programs. Another three-day package promises a taste of the luxury of old Shanghai and, priced at W399,000, is W100,000 more expensive than ordinary weekend trips to the city.

Michelle Peluso, chief executive of Travelocity, the world's second largest online travel agency, said during a recent Korea visit that women customers now account for 65 percent of 40 million members. Women enjoy thorough research online and comparing prices, she says, and it is often women who make the purchasing decisions.

Older women, too, increasingly look for the easy companionship of another woman when they travel. Park Moon-hwa (60), who volunteers as a culture travel guide, looked for a senior companion to go to Europe with on the bulletin boards of several travel agencies. "I started taking overseas trips when I turned 50, and I usually go with my relatives. My husband? He doesn't have time as he is still working, and he doesn't like traveling either," she says. "In any case, I can't really enjoy my trips when I go with my husband because I have to take care of him."

Get the full story at chosun

consumers looked for deals to "beat the winter blahs

Two of January's top ten gaining categories were Travel subcategories.  Travel - Ground/Cruise ranked as the fourth fastest-growing category with nearly 10 million unique visitors, up 26 percent over December due to the numerous last-minute winter vacation deals offered.  Heavy promotions of discounted cruises helped VacationsToGo.com draw 2.3 million visitors to the site, a 51 percent increase, and Carnival Cruises attracted 2 million visitors with similar promotions, marking a 40 percent increase compared to December.

Top Ten Gaining Categories by Unique Visitors (x000) January 2006 vs. December 2005 Total U.S. Home, Work and University Internet Users
	Dec-05(000)	Jan-06(000)	% Change
Total Internet Population	170,285	170,797	0%
Taxes	7,385	23,244	215%
Career - Job Search	10,830	15,340	42%
Career Resources	27,253	36,814	35%
Travel - Ground/Cruise	7,889	9,967	26%
Career Services and Development	39,626	49,824	26%
Lotto/Sweepstakes	22,048	27,114	23%
Career - Training and Education	7,804	9,172	18%
Real Estate	29,695	34,785	17%
Health - Information	43,458	50,839	17%
Online Travel Agents	45,786	53,501	17%
Source: comScore Media Metrix