New survey: Canadians are among the world's least digitally dependent traveler when planning their journeys

Canadians rank in the bottom third of the world’s most digitally dependent travelers, based on their average reliance on mobile, internet and digital technology for travel-related purposes, according to new research published by Travelport (NYSE: TVPT), the leading Travel Commerce Platform, based on a global online survey of 11,000 travelers in nineteen countries, including 500 Canadian respondents.

The 2017 Travelport Digital Traveler Research Report, which surveyed global travelers who took at least one return flight last year, also revealed new insights into how Canadian travelers use digital tools to plan, book and experience travel. Among the report’s findings:

• When planning a trip:
  • 83% of Canadian travelers use peer to peer reviews when researching a trip
  • 77% use travel sites to discover new and exciting destinations based on their interests
  • 57% use videos and photos posted by friends on social media as part of their research
• When booking a trip:
  • 35% of Canadian travelers research and book their trip on a mobile device
  • 62% avoid hotels that charge for WiFi
• When on the trip:
  • 59% of Canadians believe digital boarding passes and e-tickets make traveling much easier
  • 64% feel a good digital experience is important when choosing an airline
• When at the destination:
  • Canadian travelers use an average of 14 different categories of apps when traveling
  • 65% of Canadians leave reviews on review sites

THE 2017 TRAVELPORT DIGITAL TRAVELER GLOBAL RANKINGS:

The report also includes the world’s first Digital Traveler Global Rankings. The table is based on a combination of the main indicators of digital usage for travel-related purposes by travelers in each country. For example, Canadian travelers have been slow to use smartphones for booking and boarding a plane, with 59% saying digital boarding passes and e-tickets make traveling easier, compared to a global average of 70%.

MAURITA BAKER, TRAVELPORT’S VICE PRESIDENT FOR CANADA, COMMENTED:

“Providing relevant and timely digital travel tools and content is no longer a nice-to-have, but an essential means of reaching and satisfying the modern Canadian traveler. Travelport’s research shows opportunities exist to increase Canadians’ adoption and use of digital travel technologies, from the moment they search to the moment they return from their trip. As a technology company and a world leader in digital and mobile capabilities, Travelport’s platform stands ready to provide the travel industry with the means to accomplish this goal.”

For more information on the research findings for Canada, as well as to view the Global Digital Traveler Report, four regional reports and detailed country reports for all 19 countries where travelers were surveyed, visit Global Digital Traveler Research.