What’s Influencing Hotel Web Reservations?

VFM Leonardo, owner of a media syndication network for the travel industry, offers statistics about consumer behavior in terms of hotel visual content viewing across their network. Consumers want to experience hotels through rich visual content, specifically video that engages, informs and inspires at every stage of the shopping process across a wide range of online websites.

 

VFM Leonardo’s library consists of over 1 million media items. Approximately 2 million unique travel shoppers view media in the VPowered Multi-Media Viewer which displays hotel photos, 360 degree virtual tours and videos each month. The average shopper visits the viewer page just over 2 times per month and views more than 10 media items per visit.

 

Based on the number of times travel consumers launch the VPowered Multi-Media Viewer, the most popular channel is trusted travel review site, TripAdvisor, followed by popular online travel agency, Travelocity, and ARES Travel Network which includes a wide array of travel and destination related websites. The top ten sites are:

In 2010, hotel visual content (photos, virtual tours and video) was viewed 175 million times across the VNetwork, which represents approximately 50% growth from 2009. VFM Leonardo has seen an average of 53% annual growth in visual content views since 2004.

 

The recent addition of social media sharing widgets to the VPowered Multi-Media Viewer indicates a growing desire for consumers to share visual experiences. Consumers are doing more than viewing hotel visuals; they’re also sharing them with their social networks through Facebook, Twitter, Email, etc. 

 

The number of hotels using VBrochure Ultra Premium to syndicate rich media increased 60% in 2010. Many are seeing increased bookings as a result.