Aspiring travelers spend more time online and use mobile devices more than average Americans, according to an Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) analysis entitled “Consumer Travel & The Media.”
Nearly a quarter of Americans (23%) are in the market for a vacation, well ahead of those shopping for computers (16%), furniture (14%) and cars (11%).
Consumers planning a trip are also heavier media users than the general population, pointing to advertising opportunities — particularly within digital — for airline, hotel and cruise marketers.
In a typical week, the Internet and TV each reach an overwhelming majority of these consumers. However, digital’s reach-point difference among travel intenders is higher than that for television, IAB said.
On a weekly basis, the Internet reaches 94% of intended travelers, in comparison to 85% of the general population reached. The comparable TV numbers are 97% vs. 89%.
On weekdays, Internet weekly reach among intended travelers approaches parity with TV (91% Internet vs. 95% TV). Soon-to-be travelers are more likely to surf the Internet (91% vs. 82%), listen to radio (77% vs. 69%), and read magazines (61% vs. 51%) and newspapers (58% vs. 50%) than the general population.
Consumers planning a trip are far more likely to send and read emails than the average American (94% vs. 83%). Over one-third (36%) report that online communities and social networking are among their favorite online activities, markedly higher than the average American (29%).
Follow Kate Rice on Twitter @krtravelweekly.