Xperience Consulting Travel Industry Study

Usability and user experience sectorial report: Online travel agencies and hotel websites.

January 2009 1

Overview: 1. Introduction and objectives 2. Highlighted results 3. Xperience Consulting at a glance

2

Industry report: Introduction ƒ Period of crisis, but people will continue travelling ƒ People will be more selective, analyse different options, look for offers, compare… ƒ Therefore, internet will be a demanded tool for consumption purposes ƒ In short: greater need to optimize the online canal.

Objectives ƒ Usability and interactive experience analysis of travelling agencies and hotel websites ƒ Gather opinions and preferences, understand user behaviour when buying/booking a hotel or a trip ƒ Analysis of searching strategies with the aim of buying/booking or making a query

Report details

• Online remote testing with UserZoom and real users. • “Task-based analysis”: the analysis is focused on real tasks Methodology that must be accomplished by the user • Field work: December 2008 • Place: users in Spain

Users sample

• 200 users (participating from home). • Users with medium or high level of internet experience. • Over 18 years old • Users normally make use or have made use of internet as a mean to gather tourist information when planning a trip.

5

Key advantages of UserZoom’s research method

1

z

• It gathers highly useful, actionable and statistically significant user experience data while users interact with the site, in their natural context.

• Our technology asks users to complete tasks and answer questions while they use a website. • We can reach Win or MAC users, IE + Firefox

2

Travelling Websites analysed

Hotel Websites analysed

• Edreams.es • Lastminute.com • Muchoviaje.com • Rumbo.es • Viajar.com

• AC-hotels.com • Barcelo.com • Hesperia.es • Nh-hoteles.com • Solmelia.es

7

Users were asked to do the following tasks: Task

Description

1. Free search of flight+hotel

Users freely search on the internet for a flight+hotel.

2. Search for flight+hotel on a travelling website

Users are given an specific travel agency website where they must search for a flight+hotel pack.

3. Search for a hotel on a hotel website.

Users are given a hotel booking website where they must search for an specific hotel.

Overview: 1. Introduction and objectives 2. Highlighted results 3. Xperience Consulting at a glance

9

Results Free search of flight+hotel

We would like you to search for flight + hotel at the destination site. “The task consists on searching for a flight to Tenerife and a hotel to stay for a week. With this information you can choose any flight and any hotel

How does the user look for a flight+hotel on the Internet?

Users have a very clear idea about where to look for travelling services and products. 43% of users made a directed search by writing the address of the webpage they aimed to visit.

ƒ 90% of the remaining users used Google as a search engine. 11

Which webpage was used by users to find the flight+hotel they chose? ƒ 82% looked for the information mainly in online Travel Agencies (rather than traditional ones)

21% of users made a decision on edreams.com website

ƒ The same rate of users (12%) have chosen flight+hotel in Atrapalo.com and Lastminute.com webpages 12

Why do users choose that website?

ƒ Reasons why users choose one page or another are mainly focused on: 1. Web with best price offers (62%). 2. Previously purchaed on this web (59%)

13

Which are users´ best known travel agencies websites? They mainly know travel agencies that operate only online (72%) above the traditional ones with webpages.

Users spontaneusly mentioned three main online travel sites: • Edreams.es (17%) was highlighted overall • Muchoviaje.com (10%), Atrapalo.com and Viajar.com (9% in both cases) were slightly less mentioned

14

Which are users´s best known hotel booking websites?

When users think about hotel booking websites, they also have in mind online travel agencies: ƒ Users mainly know Atrapalo.com website (17%) ƒ Booking.com (10%) was also mentioned but with lower rate.

15

Results Flight + hotel search in an online travel agency

“We will ask you to find a flight and hotel in an specific city on an specific website”. Suppose you are interested in buying a flight ticket from Madrid to Tenerife (Los Rodeos Airport) from the 23rd of March 2009 returning on the 29th of March 2009. You also need hotel accommodation for that week in Tenerife. The task implies to search on the (XYZ) website to find a flight ticket and one week hotel accommodation in Tenerife.

Effectiveness and efficiency rates

•

Effectiveness average: 78%

• Best results: 100% • Efficiency average: • Task dedication time: 4:37 • Nº of clicks: 47,8 • Best results: • Task dedication time: 3:33 • Nº of clicks: 34

17

Which website works the easiest to find a flight + hotel? (I) Viajar.com

Rumbo.es

Muchoviaje.com

Lastminute.com

Edreams.es

Media

Easy to start the searching

6,6

6,2

6,5

5,5

5,7

6,1

Searching fields are easy to understand.

6,5

6,2

6,5

5,5

5,9

6,1

Search engine has the necessary options to do the searching.

6,6

6

6,7

4,7

5,5

5,9

It shows important information related to the flight and hotel searching.

6,5

5,8

6,2

4,3

5,4

5,7

Conclusion : Mind user opinions. Analyse what they do! Escala Likert 1 al 7

Is the information required for the user showed in the results list? (I)

Viajar.com

Rumbo.es

Muchoviaje.com

Lastminute.com

Edreams.es

Media

I have information to decide what to buy

5,9

5,8

5,6

5,2

5

5,5

Website shows the flight and hotel characteristics

6,1

5,5

5,5

5,4

4,8

5,5

“Final price” and “items not included” are clear

5,6

6

6,4

5,3

4,8

5,6

Pictures help to figure out the hotel characteristics

5,3

5,6

5

4,8

4,7

5,1

I have the necessary information to go ahead with the purchase

5,9

5,8

5,9

5

4,6

5,5

Escala Likert 1 al 7 19

Website features preferred by users Viajar.com

Rumbo.es

Muchoviaje.com

Lastminute.com

Edreams.es

Media

Web graphic design

5,8

5,7

5,2

5,3

4,5

5,3

Easiness to find the information

5,9

5,8

6,1

4,8

5,9

5,7

Options and menus are comprehensive

5,8

5,9

5,8

5,3

5,8

5,7

Detailed services information

5,6

5,7

5,8

5

4,9

5,4

Information about trips and hotel characteristics

5,5

5,7

5,8

5,3

4,8

5,4

Information about how to carry out the buy and sell process

5,7

5,6

5,9

5,3

5,4

5,6

Webpage download speed

5,7

5,6

5,7

4,9

5

5,4

Amount of advertisements in the webpages

4,7

5,5

4,5

4,5

3,8

4,6

Control over the flight searching process

5,6

5,7

6

5,5

5,1

5,6

Control over the hotel searching process

5,5

5,4

6

5,3

5,4

5,5

SATISFACTION

5,6

5,7

5,7

5,1

5,1

5,4

Net Promoter Score

“Which is the probability to recommend this online travel agency ?”

1 2 3 4 5

Net PromoterR score Edreams.es 0% Lastminute.com -30% Muchoviaje.com -9% Rumbo.es 30% Viajar.com 18%

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

NPS

0%

0%

0%

0%

9%

0%

18%

0%

27%

18%

27%

30%

Results Looking for a hotel on a hotel booking website

“We now ask you to find a hotel in an specific city on an specific website. Suppose you are interested in booking a standard hotel room in Barcelona from the 23rd of march of 2009 to the 29th of march of 2009. The task consists in looking into the hotel booking website (XYZ) and find a single hotel room in any hotel in Barcelona.”

Effectiveness and efficiency rates • Effectiveness average: 91% • Best results: 100%

• Efficiency rates: • Task dedication time: 3:08 • Nº of clicks: 29,6 • Best results: • Task dedication time: 1:44 • Nº of clicks: 21 23

Is the information required for the user showed in the results list? (I)

AC-Hotels.com

Barcelo.com

Hesperia.es

NH-Hoteles.es

Solmelia.com

Media

I have information to decide what to book

5,4

6

5,4

4,9

5,9

5,5

Website shows the hotel characteristics

5,3

6,1

5,9

4,8

5,8

5,6

I can clearly see the “final price” and the “included items”

5,4

6,1

5,8

4,6

5,7

5,5

Pictures help me to figure out the hotel characteristics

5,7

6

5,6

4,6

5,8

5,6

I have the necessary information to go ahead with the purchase

5,4

6,1

5,1

4,9

5,8

5,5

Escala Likert 1 al 7 24

Is the information required for the user showed in the results list? (II) 3

At first glance the information showed is enough to have a clear idea of the hotel and room characteristics Service price is clear and visible

25

Webpage features users felt more satisfied about

AC-Hotels.com

Barcelo.com

Hesperia.es

NH-Hoteles.es

Solmelia.com

Media

Webpage graphic design

5,6

5,5

4,9

5,2

5,5

5,3

Easiness to find the information

5,2

5,8

5,3

5,1

5,7

5,4

Understanding of options and menus

5,3

5,8

5,8

4,9

5,7

5,5

Detail services information

5,2

6,1

5,3

5,1

5,6

5,5

Information of the hotel characteristics

5,1

6,1

5,3

4,9

5,5

5,4

Information of the booking/purchase process

5,5

6,3

5,6

5,4

5,5

5,7

Webpage downloading speed

5,5

6,1

5,8

5,6

5,8

5,8

Amount of advertisements in the webpages

5,4

5,6

4,3

5,1

5,8

5,3

Control over the hotel searching process

5,4

5,7

5,5

5,2

5,7

5,5

SATISFACTION

5,4

5,9

5,3

5,2

5,6

5,5

Net Promoter Score “Which is the probability to recommend this webpage?”

Net PromoterR score AC-Hotels.com -27% Barcelo.com 27% Hesperia.es -20% NH-Hoteles.es -60% Solmelia.com -30%

1 2 3 4 5

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

NPS

9%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

9%

9%

27%

27%

18%

27%

Overview: 1. Introduction and objectives 2. Highlighted results 3. Xperience Consulting at a glance

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XC at a glance • We make websites and technoloy easier to use. • We use our own software and laboratories to make market research projects.

• We optimize usability and user experience • We help online businesses to increase incomes and profitability rates

XC at a glance • Launched in 2001 • Offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Sunnyvale (EEUU) • Multidisciplinary team of 25 people • >50% of our incomes are international

Members of

End of the report Thank you for your attention!

Contacts: Madrid Alfonso de la Nuez

[email protected] +34.91.542.62.52

Barcelona Javier Darriba

[email protected] +34.93.414.75.54

Silicon Valley (EEUU) Kim Oslob [email protected] +1.408.524.74.45

Oficces: Madrid

Gran Vía 62, 7º Izda. – 28013 Madrid, Spain +34.91.298.08.91/2

Barcelona

Avda. Diagonal 419 3ºB 08008 Barcelona, Spain +34.93.414.75.54

Silicon Valley

440 N. Wolfe Rd. - Sunnyvale, CA 94085 (USA) [t] +1 (408) 524 7445, F: +1 (818) 716 9063