NEW YORK: Consumer interest in Internet travel bounced back at the end of
last month as the number of travelers visiting leading Web sites climbed in the
wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, a survey released on Monday reported.
Traffic to seven out of the top ten travel sites rebounded during the week
ending Sept. 30 surpassing levels reported for the week ending Sept. 9,
according to Nielsen//NetRatings, the survey by Internet audience measurement
service.
Delta Air Lines, UAL Corp.'s United Airlines, Hotwire, Expedia and AMR
Corp.'s American Airlines Web sites were among those reporting the largest
growth.
Delta's Web site posted the largest gain in audience share for the week
ending Sept. 30 compared with before the attacks - a surge of 32 per cent in
growth with 627,000 unique visitors. United's online traffic gained 30 per cent
with 474,000 visitors while Hotwire jumped 11 per cent, Expedia gained seven per
cent and American Airlines posted five percent growth, drawing nearly 1.8
million visitors.
"Consumer interest in travel has begun to rebound from the turmoil
surrounding recent national events," said Sean Kaldor, vice president of
analytical services at NetRatings. "Discounted fares and heightened
promotions are enticing surfers to continue to use the Internet to plan and book
travel arrangements."
Many online travel Web Sites saw traffic plummet after the attacks, but have
regained traffic as interest in travel purchases returned.
According to Nielsen//NetRatings Orbitz had 1 million visitors for the week
ended Sept. 9. That figure dropped to 438,000 after the attacks but climbed to
978,000 in the last week of September.
Nielsen//NetRatings found Travelocity reported 1.38 million visitors during
the week of Sept. 9 and 969,000 after the attacks, but 1.37 million visitors in
the last week of September.
Last month's attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon halted air
travel for two days and left many Americans nervous about flying due to security
concerns.
Airlines, hotels and car rental companies have announced thousands of lay
offs since the assaults as they try to adjust capacity to lowered demand.
Already stung by the economic slowdown, airlines and hotels have also started
offering bargain prices to lure travelers.
The survey did not question individuals on actual travel bookings purchased
online. But Kaldor said the number of visitors getting into secure mode online -
usually required to make a purchase - had returned to levels similar to before
the attacks.
The Nielsen//NetRating survey, conducted before the US and British attacks on
Afghanistan, took data from 70,000 people with access to the Internet at home or
at work in the United States.
(C) Reuters Limited 2001.