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Technology and Irish Tourism - Ireland - July 2015

INTRODUCTION
Key themes of the report
Data sources
Definition
Abbreviations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market factors
Internet remains the main driver of holidays to Ireland but declines in influence
Deal-of-the-day websites important to Irish tourism industry
Social networks key channel for tourism companies
High device ownership provides opportunities for Irish tourism companies
Review fraud an issue for the travel industry
Companies, brands and innovations
The consumer
Irish consumers opting to stay ‘at home’ for short breaks
Figure 1: Where last short break (1-3 days) taken, NI and RoI, May 2015
Europe preferred for holidays
Figure 2: Where last holiday (4 or more days) taken, NI and RoI, May 2015
Customer review websites the main online information source
Figure 3: Online information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, NI and RoI, May 2015
Family, friends colleagues a key offline source for Irish consumers
Figure 4: Offline information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, NI and RoI, May 2015
Irish consumers prefer online channels to book trips
Figure 5: Sources used to book any aspect of most recent trip, NI and RoI, May 2015
Access to Wi-Fi the most important issue for Irish consumers
Figure 6: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, NI and RoI, May 2015
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Which online information sources did Irish consumers use to book their most recent holiday or short breaks?
The facts
The implications
How did Irish consumers book aspects of their most recent trip?
The facts
The implications
What opportunities does the high level of technology usage in Ireland hold for tourism companies?
The facts
The implications
Is there an opportunity for a technology-free tourism experience?
The facts
The implications
MARKET OVERVIEW
Key points
Internet’s influence of holidays to RoI continues to fall
Figure 7: Information sources that influenced choice of RoI as a holiday destination, by region, RoI, 2012-14
Figure 7: Information sources used when planning a holiday to RoI, by region, RoI, 2012-14
NI consumers show higher usage of deal-of-the-day websites for domestic trips
Figure 7: Aspects of holidays/short breaks within Ireland where deal-of-the-day service or website used to book in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, October 2014
Facebook is Ireland’s favourite social network
Figure 7: Social networks used at least once per week, NI and RoI, March 2015
Social media helps Tourism Ireland promote NI to worldwide audience
Internet-enabled device ownership high
Figure 7: Ownership of or access to mobile technology devices, NI and RoI, July 2014-July 2015
Credibility of online reviews being questioned
Authorities clamping down on fake reviews
Holiday fraud also a concern for travel industry
MARKET IN CONTEXT
Key points
Case study: British Airways
Case study: Dublin Airport Authority
Case study: easyJet
Case study: Ryanair
Case study: Tourism Ireland
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Strengths
Weaknesses
COMPANIES AND INNOVATIONS
Key points
Examples of innovation
Japanese hotel introduces the robot concierge
Hotels moving to keyless systems
Beats Music available on-board Southwest Airlines
Tourism authorities
Fáilte Ireland
Tourism Northern Ireland (formerly Northern Ireland Tourist Board)
Tourism Ireland
Travel websites
Airbnb
Expedia
Hotels.com
Groupon
Lonely Planet
TripAdvisor
Airlines
easyJet
Flybe
Ryanair
THE CONSUMER – LAST HOLIDAY OR SHORT BREAK TAKEN BY IRISH CONSUMERS
Key points
Most Irish consumers took a holiday or short break in the last 12 months
Figure 7: When last holiday or short break taken, NI and RoI, May 2015
Working consumers most likely to have taken a short break or holiday in the last three months
Figure 7: Last holiday or short break taken less than three months ago, by work status and social class, NI and RoI, July 2015
Irish consumers taking short breaks ‘at home’
Figure 7: Where last short break (1-3 days) taken, NI and RoI, May 2015
Broad appeal among Irish consumers for staycations
Figure 7: Last short break (1-3 days) taken in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, by gender and age, NI and RoI, May 2015
Figure 7: Last short break (1-3 days) taken in Europe, by gender and age, NI and RoI, May 2015
Europe the preferred destination for holidays
Figure 7: Where last holiday (4 or more days) taken, NI and RoI, May 2015
Irish consumers taking children on European holidays
Figure 7: Last holiday (4 or more days) taken in Europe, by presence and age of children in the household, NI and RoI, May 2015
Irish consumers booking holidays 2-4 months before travelling
Figure 7: How long trip was booked before last holiday, NI and RoI, May 2015
Millennials and singles most likely to book trips at short notice, Gen X booking 2-4 months in advance
Figure 7: How long trip was booked before last short break, NI and RoI, May 2015
THE CONSUMER – ONLINE INFORMATION SOURCES USED WHEN BOOKING MOST RECENT HOLIDAY OR SHORT BREAK
Key points
Customer review websites most popular online source when booking short breaks and holidays
Figure 7: Online information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, NI and RoI, May 2015
Customer review and travel websites, online photos key sources for older Millennials
Figure 7: Use of customer review websites, travel company websites and online photos as information sources when booking most recent holiday or short break, by age, NI, May 2015
Figure 7: Use of customer review websites, travel company websites and online photos as information sources when booking most recent holiday or short break, by age, RoI, May 2015
Tourist board websites an information source for full-time workers, students and ABC1s
Figure 7: Use of official tourist board websites (eg nitb.com, failteireland.com) as information sources when booking most recent holiday or short break, by work status and social class, NI and RoI, May 2015
Deals websites popular with married and affluent consumers
Figure 7: Use of deals websites (eg Groupon) as information sources when booking most recent holiday or short break, by marital status and social class, NI and RoI, May 2015
THE CONSUMER – OFFLINE INFORMATION SOURCES USED WHEN BOOKING MOST RECENT HOLIDAY OR SHORT BREAK
Key points
Family, friends and colleagues important offline source when booking holidays and short breaks
Figure 7: Use of offline information sources when booking most recent short break or holiday, NI and RoI, May 2015
Young consumers most likely to seek advice from family, friends and colleagues
Figure 7: Speaking to family, friends and colleagues when booking most recent short break or holiday, by age, NI and RoI, May 2015
THE CONSUMER – SOURCES USED TO BOOK LAST HOLIDAY OR SHORT BREAK
Key points
Online sources preferred when booking holidays or short breaks
Figure 7: Sources used to book any aspect of most recent trip, NI and RoI, May 2015
Older Millennials and ABC1s key users of online travel agents and comparison websites
Figure 7: Online sources used to book aspects of most recent holiday or short break, by age and social class, NI, May 2015
Figure 7: Online sources used to book most recent holiday or short break, by age and social class, RoI, May 2015
THE CONSUMER – ATTITUDES TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY IN IRISH TOURISM
Key points
Wi-Fi the most important issue for Irish consumers
Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, NI and RoI, May 2015
Wi-Fi a must for Irish Millennials
Figure 1: Agreement with the statement 'Wi-Fi is a must at hotels and attractions', by gender and age, NI and RoI, May 2015
Young consumers more willing to travel with companies providing on-board Wi-Fi
Figure 1: Agreement with the statement ‘I would be more willing to travel with airlines/transport companies that provide on-board Wi-Fi’, by age, NI and RoI, May 2015
Smartphones part of the tourism experience for young consumers
Figure 1: Agreement with selected statements relating to technology and tourism, by age, NI, May 2015
RoI 25-34s the main users of mobile devices in the tourism experience
Figure 1: Agreement with selected statements relating to technology and tourism, by age, RoI, May 2015
Irish women and affluent consumers most likely to be influenced by reviews on-the-go
Figure 1: Agreement with the statement ‘Being able to access customer reviews on-the-go would encourage me to visit more restaurants/attractions’, by gender and social class, NI and RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Agreement with the statement 'I am wary of the validity of some online reviews of destinations', by gender and social class, NI and RoI, May 2015
Technology takes away from young RoI consumers’ tourism experience
Figure 1: Agreement with the statement 'Using smartphones/tablets while on holiday or a short break takes away from the experience', by gender and age, NI and RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Agreement with the statement 'I would be interested in technology-free (ie no Wi-Fi or use of gadget) tourist sites’, by gender and age, NI and RoI, May 2015
APPENDIX
NI Toluna data
Figure 1: When last holiday or short break taken, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: Where last short break (1-3 days) taken, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: Where last holiday (4 or more days) taken, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last short break trip, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last short break trip, by demographics, NI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last holiday trip, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last holiday trip, by demographics, NI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Online information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: Online information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, NI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Offline information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: Offline information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, NI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Sources used to book any aspect of most recent trip, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: Sources used to book any aspect of most recent trip, by demographics, NI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, by demographics, NI, May 2015
Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, by demographics, NI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, by demographics, NI, May 2015 (continued)
RoI Toluna data
Figure 1: When last holiday or short break taken, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Where last short break (1-3 days) taken, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Where last holiday (4 or more days) taken, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last short break trip, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last short break trip, by demographics, RoI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last holiday trip, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: How long booking was made before last holiday trip, by demographics, RoI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Online information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Online information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, RoI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Offline information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Offline information sources used when booking most recent short break or holiday, by demographics, RoI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Sources used to book any aspect of most recent trip, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Sources used to book any aspect of most recent trip, by demographics, RoI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, by demographics, RoI, May 2015
Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, by demographics, RoI, May 2015 (continued)
Figure 1: Agreement with statements relating to technology and tourism, by demographics, RoI, May 2015 (continued)

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