## Data Pack Q1 2021

## Executive Summary
**Welcome to the Travel Data Pack. Every quarter, we analyze data**  
**from our travel clients, including billions of dollars in transactions,**  
**and conduct a global survey of travelers to uncover the latest trends.**  
**Here's what we learned about the state of travel in Q1 2021:**

Worldwide air travel is still down, but some countries like the US and Japan are starting  
to recover, with domestic flights showing the most growth.

Hotel bookings worldwide are getting back on track, and vacation rentals is the first  
travel category to surpass 2020 performance.

Travelers are still worried about Covid-19, but it's not stopping them from booking short  
trips to see loved ones. That said, most travelers will stick to domestic trips for the next 12  
months, divided almost equally between car travel and planes for their next trip.

Fully refundable tickets, continued social distancing, and sanitation measures will be  
key to earning customer trust and bookings moving forward.

**See the supporting data and additional insights inside!**

Data and survey findings point to a travel renaissance in the Fall, with longer duration  
trips planned and more rentals booked.

## Agenda
**1 Q1 2021 Trends by Travel Category**  
**2 Travel Sentiment and Outlook**  
**3 Mobile and App Usage**  
**4 Recommendations**

## Air Travel Q1 2021 Trends

### Worldwide

## Indexed Weekly Air Bookings YoY

160 **145** **141** **138 137** **134 132** 140

# Worldwide air travel
**124**

# remains down108

**105** **98** 100

### In Q1 2020, air bookings dropped

### progressively as COVID-19 spread globally.66 66 66 64 64

**62** **59** **56 54 55 52 54 56 57 54** 60 One year later, air bookings remain down 36% in April 2021, growing slowly from -48%40 **30**

**21**

### earlier in January.17

#### 2020 2021

Source: Indexed bookings, worldwide, compared to average in December 2019.  
Same set of partners in the air category with stable sales tracking during the period.

## US air travel is recovering steadily

US air bookings dropped abruptly in March  
2020, as travel restrictions increased.  
One year later, air bookings in the US are  
seeing a steady increase, in step with rising  
vaccination and confidence levels.

Source: Indexed US bookings, compared to average in December 2019. Same  
set of partners in the air category with stable sales tracking during the period.

**Indexed Weekly Air Bookings YoY**

### Worldwide

## Indexed Weekly Air Bookings YoY

#### Americas EMEA APAC

# Air travel recovery differs123

# by global region

100 **92** **86 85 85**

### Air travel is improving quicker in the Americas 82 83 83 81 81

#### 75 76

80 **71**

### and APAC than in EMEA, as COVID-19 still

**63**

### impacts the continent heavily, with a number

**57** 60 **53 51 51** **50 51**

### of lockdowns remaining in place across46

**42**

### Europe.

40 **34 34** **30** **28** **25 26**

20 **12** **10**

Source: Indexed bookings, compared to average in December 2019. Same set  
of Air players with stable sales tracking during the period.

## Domestic flights are recovering more quickly

Domestic and international travels have both  
been deeply impacted year over year.  
International flights saw the biggest drop as  
travelers faced more restrictions and  
uncertainties.

As of March 2021, international flights are  
seeing a slow recovery, while domestic flights  
are recovering more rapidly.

## 2021 Domestic v. International Flights

Source: Index worldwide air bookings by destination compared to  
the same period in 2020. Same set of travel clients with stable tracking of  
bookings during the period.

## Air ticket prices are ticking up

In Q1 2021, international travels decreased as  
COVID-19 was still spreading, impacting average  
booking values in air travel.

Travelers have also avoided high-ticket international  
flights and instead opted to stay closer to home.

In order to entice potential bookers,  
airlines made concessions in their pricing.

Booking values, however, have grown 22% from  
January to February in 2021 and remain flat February  
to March.

2020. Same set of air players with stable sales tracking during the period.

## Average Booking Values YoY, Air

## Flyers are booking with confidence

There are less people looking to  
travel compared to last year. However, air  
travelers in all regions are showing more  
decisiveness in their selection, with conversion  
rates hovering near pre-pandemic levels.

Hotels in the Americas and EMEA show a  
higher rate of searches prior to booking,  
compared to last year.

## Conversion Rate % by Region & Travel Category

Source: Indexed worldwide conversion rate % compared to average from  
th th  
January 6 to March 15, 2020. Same set of Travel Clients with stable  
sales tracking during the period. Conversion Rate = SUM(BUYERS)/SUM(Visitors)

## Hotel Q1 2021 Trends

## Worldwide hotel bookings are getting back on track

Hotel bookings dropped throughout Q1 last  
year, globally.

In Q1 2021, hotel bookings surpassed 2020  
levels near mid-March, as vaccine distribution  
increased in a number of countries.

**Indexed Weekly Hotel Bookings YoY**

## Indexed Weekly Hotel Bookings YoY

Source: Indexed worldwide bookings, Compared to average in December  
2019. Same set of partners in the hotel category with stable sales tracking during 
the period.

## US hotel rooms are filling up again

In the US, bookings dropped dramatically in

After over a year in lockdowns, bookings for  
hotels in the US are up in March, just in time  
for Spring. The trend in Q1 suggests a strong  
desire to reconnect and/or getaway.

**Indexed Weekly Hotel Bookings YoY**

Source: Indexed US hotel bookings, Compared to average in December 2019.  
Same set of partners in the hotel category with stable sales tracking during  
the period.

### Worldwide

## Indexed Weekly Hotel Bookings YoY

#### Americas EMEA APAC

# Hotel recovery differs by

# global region

**96** 100

### The latest lockdowns in Europe at the end of  
82 82

**80** **78 78** 80

### Q1 2021 have negatively impacted the trend,

#### 66 65

#### 62 62

### while hotels are improving quickly in the 58 57

#### 56 55

60 **53**

### Americas, particularly in the United States.

**40** **37 36** 40 **30** **28 29 28** **25** **22** **20 21 21** 20 **14 11** **10**

Source: Indexed bookings, compared to average in December 2019. Same set  
of Hotel players with stable sales tracking during the period.

### Worldwide

## Average Booking Values YoY, Hotel

# Hotel rooms are seeing 100

**99** 100 **96**

# increased demand94

90 **86**

### Average booking values saw steady growth

**80**

### in Q1 2021, with March almost at 2020 levels.80

### This trend reflects greater demand for hotel

### rooms, and slightly longer average stays.

50 January February March

#### 2020 2021

Source: Indexed worldwide booking values, Compared to Average in January
2020. Same set of Hotel Partners with stable sales tracking during the period.

## Vacation Rentals Q1 2021 Trends

### Worldwide

# Vacation rentals are the first travel category to surpass 2020 performance

## Indexed Daily Bookings YoY, Vacation Rentals

**252** **244** 250 **233** **217** **209** **203 204** **193** 200

**144** 150 **123 127** **118 115** **110 113 111 115 111** **108 105 106** **96 98** 100 **81** **104 103** **62**

#### 41 42

50 **34**

Source: Indexed Daily Bookings, compared to Average in December 2019. Same set of Travel Clients with stable bookings tracking during the period.

## US vacation rentals grew significantly throughout Q1 2021

Source: Indexed Daily Bookings, compared to Average in December 2019. Same set of Travel Clients with stable bookings tracking during the period.

## Vacation rentals are recovering more quickly in EMEA

Europe is leading the recovery in vacation  
rentals, as domestic and 'workation' getaways  
are seen as suitable travel opportunities.

APAC remains close to March 2020 lows, with  
improvements suspended in recent weeks.

Source: Indexed bookings, compared to average in December 2019. Same set  
of Vacation Rentals players with stable sales tracking during the period.

## Indexed Weekly Booking YoY, Vacation Rentals

## Longer, safer stay perception of rentals keeps average booking values above 2020 levels

Average booking values have remained  
consistently higher than last year. Travelers  
continue to book rentals, which provide the  
best long-term options and social distancing.

Source: Indexed worldwide booking values, Compared to Average in January 2020. Same set of Travel Clients with stable sales tracking during the period.

## Average Booking Values YoY, Vacation Rentals

## Car Rentals Q1 2021 Trends

### Worldwide

# Worldwide car rentals are holding steady

## Indexed Daily Bookings YoY, Car Rentals

**252** **244** 250 **233** **217** **209** **203 204** **193** 200

**144** 150 **123 127** **118 115 115 111** **108 105 110 106 113 111** **104** **96 98** 100 **81** **103** **62**

#### 41 42

50 **34**

Source: Indexed daily bookings, worldwide, compared to average in December 1-28 2019.

Same set of travel clients with stable bookings tracking during the period.

### Worldwide

# US car rentals are recovering slowly

## Indexed Daily Bookings YoY, Car Rentals

#### 140 138

**137** **134** 140 **130 133 130** **123** **117** 120

**100** 100

80 **68** **62 61 60 63** **57** 60 **49** **46** **41 43 41 43 41 41 44** **59** 40 **32**

**21** **18 19** 20

Source: Indexed daily bookings, worldwide, compared to average in December 1-28 2019.

Same set of travel clients with stable bookings tracking during the period.

### Worldwide

## Indexed Weekly Booking YoY, Car Rentals

#### Americas EMEA APAC

# APAC sees the quickest

# recovery of car rentals105

**100** **97** 100 **88**

### While EMEA and the Americas have seen a 81 81

**79** 80 **73**

### very similar impact of COVID-19 on car rentals, APAC demonstrates an early recovery for this58

#### 56 55

60 **53** **51 50**

### travel sub-category. 56 48 49

#### 46 47

**42**

40 **33 32** **26** **23** **20 20 19** **16 17** 20 **13**

Source: Indexed bookings, compared to average in December 2019. Same set  
of Car Rentals players with stable sales tracking during the period.

||110||Average Booking Values YoY, Car Rentals|||Worldwide 105|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||102||||  
|Demand has stayed|100|100 98||100|||  
||||||96||  
|steady, as many look to drive instead of fly Month-over-month and year-over-year, average bookings for car rentals have remained consistent worldwide. Shortages in availability have been felt by|90 80 70||||||  
||60||||||  
|many travelers as they search for|||||||  
|transportation methods outside of air for their|||||||  
|getaways.|50|January|2020 Source: Indexed worldwide booking values, Compared to average in January 2020. Same set of travel clients with stable sales tracking during the period.|February 2021||March|

## Travel Sentiment and Outlook

## Travelers are still worried about COVID-19...

## 6 out of 10

US and global travelers* say that they feel  
personally concerned about contracting  
COVID-19 while traveling.

**Share of respondents who strongly or somewhat**  
**agree with “I feel personally concerned about**  
**contracting COVID-19 while traveling”**

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021 base: All respondents Global n=11,161

*Base: US travelers are defined as respondents who plan to travel at least once  
in the next 12 months.

## ...but it's not stopping them from planning personal trips

**Two-thirds** of US and global  
espondents plan to travel for personal  
purposes in the next 12 months.

## Share of respondents who plan to travel in the next 6 months.

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021 base: All respondents Global n=11,161

*Base: Combined personal and business trips in the next 6 months

## Travelers are most eager to visit family and friends ASAP

In the next month respondents are more likely

## 60% plan to visit family/friends within 6 months.

## When are you planning your next trip? (Global data)

## (Applies for all travel, both short- and long-distance).

| Country | Personal visiting family/friends-Within the next month | N=* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US | 21% | 1304 |
| France | 14% | 1125 |
| Germany | 26% | 1156 |
| Italy | 16% | 1150 |
| Spain | 26% | 1147 |
| UK | 16% | 1199 |
| Australia | 26% | 1149 |
| Japan | 21% | 1064 |
| South Korea | 25% | 1121 |
| Global | 21% | 10,415 |

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, Worldwide, base: Respondents who plan to travel

## For how long do you plan to travel?

## Family/friend visits will be shorter stays

59% plan to stay 0-4 nights with family/friends

## More than half are booking longer stays for leisure/holiday trips.

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, Worldwide, base: Excludes respondents who  
don’t know yet
Personal (visiting family/friends): n=8549
Personal (leisure/holiday): n=8888
Business: n= 4256

## For how long do you plan to travel?

## (short stays)

Family/friend visits will be

| Country | Short stays(0-4 nights)-Personal(visiting family/friends) | N= |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US | 59% | 1304 |
| France | 40% | 1125 |
| Germany | 60% | 1156 |
| Italy | 58% | 1150 |
| Spain | 52% | 1147 |
| UK | 64% | 1199 |
| Australia | 46% | 1149 |
| Japan | 86% | 1064 |
| South Korea | 66% | 1121 |
| Global | 59% | 10,415 |

More than half are booking longer stays for

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, Worldwide, base: Excludes respondents who 
don’t know yet

**US**

## Which transportation services do you plan to use for your next trip?

**49%** Personal vehicle

# Two-thirds of US respondents

**44%**

# say that they are likely to

**43%** Plane

# favor car travel over planes

**47%**

**22%**

### 60% of Boomers and Silent generation in the Car rental

**17%**

### US plan to use their personal vehicle to limit their exposure to others. 11%

Car share **9%** Conversely, 66% of Gen Z and Millennials and nearly half of US travelers are more likely to fly **11%**

Train

### for their next trip.

**24%**

##### US Worldwide

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, base: All respondents, n=1362/ Worldwide n=
11161

### EMEA

# Nearly half of travelers are likely to fly for their next trip

## Which transportation services do you plan to use for your next trip?

**52% 52%** **50%** **46% 46% 47%** **45% 44% 44%** **44%** **39% 39%**

**29% 29%** **24% 24% 23% 24%**

**17%** **16% 15% 17%** **12%** **11% 11%** **9% 9%** **8%** **5% 5%**

Plane Personal vehicle Train Car rental Car share

#### France Germany Italy Spain UK Worldwide

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, base: All respondents, France n=1232/Germany n=1222/ Italy n=1214/ Spain n=1205/ UK n=1258 / Worldwide n= 11161

### APAC

# Nearly half of travelers are likely to fly for their next trip

## Which transportation services do you plan to use for your next trip?

#### 54% 48% 48%

#### 47% 44% 44% 43% 42%

**38%**

#### 24% 24% 22% 20% 20%

#### 17% 16% 16%

#### 8% 9% 6%

Plane Personal vehicle Train Car rental Car share Australia Japan South Korea Worldwide

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, base: All respondents, Australia n=1230/ Japan n=1200/ South Korea n=1238/ Worldwide n= 11161

## More stays will be in hotels

Deep discounts, flexible cancellation policies,  
and more rigorous sanitation practices are  
attracting more US and global travelers, with  
**56% and 61% declaring that they would stay**  
at a hotel during their next trip.

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, base: All respondents, n=1362/ Worldwide n= 11161

## Which accommodation services do you plan to use for your next trip?

### EMEA

# More stays will be in hotels

## Which accommodation services do you plan to use for your next trip?

**63%** **61% 61% 61%**

**55%**

**45%** **40%** **38%** **37% 36%** **36% 35% 35%** **34%** **31%**

**25% 24% 25%** **20%**

**14% 13%** **11%** **10%** **8% 9% 8% 8%** **6% 6%** **5%**

Hotel Personal accommodation Housing rental Camping Cruises

#### France Germany Italy Spain UK Worldwide

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, base: All respondents, France n=1232/Germany n=1222/ Italy n=1214/ Spain n=1205/ UK n=1258 / Worldwide n= 11161

### APAC

# More stays will be in hotels

## Which accommodation services do you plan to use for your next trip?

**86%**

#### 63% 61% 58%

#### 44% 34%

#### 28% 27% 25% 20%

#### 14% 14% 13% 13% 11% 11% 10% 8% 8% 5%

Hotel Personal accommodation Housing rental Camping Cruises Australia Japan South Korea Worldwide

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, base: All respondents, Australia n=1230/ Japan n=1200/ South Korea n=1238/ Worldwide n= 11161

**US**

## What activities are you seeking during your next trip?

# Reconnecting tops relaxation as the next 68%

Visiting family/friends **58%**

# trip's main activity

**40%** Relaxation (spa, reading,

#### Increased vaccination rates and eased COVID-yoga/meditation, etc.)

**49%**

#### 19 restrictions have travelers excited about finally reuniting with family and friends during  
their next trip. This is especially true for older generations in the US, with 74% selecting it as their next trip's primary activity.

**22%** Outdoor sports (skiing, biking, etc.) After being mostly stuck at home for about a **24%** year, US Gen Z and Millennials will be relaxing

**12%**

#### Planned remote working enjoying outdoor sports (30%), as well as visiting **9%** their family/friends (62%) during their next trip.

##### US Worldwide

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, base: All respondents, n=1362/ Worldwide n= 11161

### EMEA

# Reconnecting tops relaxation as the next trip's main activity

## What activities are you seeking during your next trip?

**64% 65%** **62%** **58% 58%** **57%** **55% 55%**

**48% 49% 48%** **45%** **43% 44%** **42% 42%** **40%** **38%**

**33%**

**28%** **27%** **24%**

**17% 17%**

**11%** **9%** **6% 6% 6% 7%**

Visiting family/friends Relaxation Cultural activities Outdoor sports Remote working

#### France Germany Italy Spain UK Worldwide

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, base: All respondents, France n=1232/Germany n=1222/ Italy n=1214/ Spain n=1205/ UK n=1258 / Worldwide n= 11161

## Full recovery begins this Fall

## Indexed Bookings by Season of Travel, by Category, YoY

Looking at bookings made between  
February 1st and March 15th, 2021, vacation  
rentals appear to be the first travel  
category to fully recover, with 5% more rental  
reservations made for the fall season than  
what was recorded during the same period  
in 2020.

Source: Index worldwide bookings by season of check-in, for bookings made  
between February 1st and March 15th, 2021, compared to the same period in  
2020. Same set of Travel Clients with stable sales tracking during the entire period.

## Travel duration will increase

Compared to the average duration of travel  
booked between February 1st and March 15th,  
2020 (i.e. before first lockdowns in western  
countries), bookings made during the same period  
one year later show that average travel duration  
will increase progressively and outperform pre-  
COVID travel durations by Q4 2021.

## Indexed Travel Duration by Quarter of Travel, YoY

Source: Index Average Travel Duration by season of check-in, for bookings made  
between February 1st and March 15th, 2021, compared to the same period in  
2020. Same set of Travel Clients with stable sales tracking during the entire period.

## Travel will be mostly domestic trips for the next 12 months

Travel restrictions and sanitation concerns are  
keeping travelers within their borders.

This is especially true for older generations (92%  
Boomers & Silent/87% Gen X vs. 84% overall).

Gen Z & Millennials are a bit more adventurous, with  
1 in 4 planning to travel internationally in countries  
allowing US citizens to visit, like Mexico.

Only 35% plan to travel internationally in the next 12  
months, even if given a vaccine and COVID-  
19 Passport, while 69% say they will favor domestic  
travels due to Covid-19.

# What are the destinations that you are likely to make an online booking for (e.g., flight, hotel / lodging, etc.)?

| Country | Domestic Travels | International Travels* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US | 84% | 34% |
| France | 64% | 58% |
| Germany | 58% | 67% |
| Italy | 80% | 50% |
| Spain | 83% | 49% |
| UK | 67% | 58% |
| Australia | 86% | 35% |
| Japan | 89% | 29% |
| South Korea | 65% | 54% |
| Global | 75% | 48% |

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, base domestic travels: All  
respondents

## Reasons not to travel are mostly pandemic-related

**What are the reasons why you won’t be traveling in the next 12 months?**

|  | US | UK | France | Germany | Italy | Spain | Japan | South Korea | Australia | Global |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| I don't want to contract COVID-19 while traveling | 29% | 30% | 25% | 35% | 30% | 25% | 40% | 51% | 29% | 36% |
| I am waiting for the situation to get better | 23% | 33% | 32% | 32% | 34% | 32% | 28% | 23% | 24% | 28% |
| I have been financially impacted | 24% | 16% | 16% | 21% | 11% | 26% | 15% | 9% | 24% | 17% |
| I can't take any vacations | 19% | 11% | 15% | 8% | 24% | 21% | 21% | 10% | 18% | 16% |
| I am waiting to receive the COVID-19 vaccine before starting to travel again | 10% | 12% | 11% | 23% | 18% | 10% | 5% | 8% | 15% | 10% |
| My country expects me to take a COVID-19 test before leaving / coming back | 5% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 5% | 8% | 5% | 11% | 5% | 7% |
| Because of quarantine/self-isolation | 9% | 9% |  | 11% | 7% | 12% | 5% | 6% | 10% | 7% |
| I can't travel in the countries I would like to (borders closed) | 5% | 4% | 2% | 7% | 1% | 8% | 4% | 6% | 8% | 5% |
| N= | 293 | 171 | 208 | 215 | 91 | 104 | 609 | 430 | 134 | 2,255 |

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, base: Respondents who don’t plan to travel at all in the next 12 months

## 2021 travelers care about refundable tickets

**Share of travelers who are more likely to book travels if bookings are fully refundable**

| Country | US | France | Germany | Italy | Spain | UK | Australia | Japan | South Korea | Global |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Share of respondents | 65% | 66% | 53% | 64% | 74% | 67% | 73% | 51% | 59% | 64% |
| N= | 1362 | 1232 | 1222 | 1214 | 1205 | 1258 | 1230 | 1200 | 1238 | 11161 |

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021

## Social distance and sanitation remain a must

**How has COVID-19 changed the importance in the following areas when traveling? (more important)**

| Country | US | France | Germany | Italy | Spain | UK | Australia | Japan | South Korea | Global |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ability to social distancing | 77% | 75% | 67% | 89% | 87% | 76% | 78% | 83% | 79% | 79% |
| Availability of healthcare | 71% | 70% | 72% | 86% | 84% | 72% | 75% | 77% | 76% | 76% |
| Sanitation | 79% | 77% | 79% | 89% | 89% | 78% | 81% | 82% | 78% | 81% |
| N= | 1362 | 1232 | 1222 | 1214 | 1205 | 1258 | 1230 | 1200 | 1238 | 11,161 |

**3 out of 4 US travelers declared giving more importance to social distance, healthcare, and sanitation when traveling.**

## Traveling with a pet remains a challenge

**14% of travelers have troubles**  
flying with their pets (US: 13%),  
suggesting a significant  
opportunity for airlines - especially  
when airplanes are not flying at full  
capacity.

## Do you travel with a pet(s)?

|  | US | WW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| I don't have a pet or don't intend to travel with him/her | 43% | 51% |
| I travel with my pet, and this is not a concern to me | 20% | 17% |
| I have a pet, but traveling by car with him/her is not possible or is a challenge | 14% | 11% |
| I have a pet, but flying with him/her is not possible or is a challenge | 13% | 14% |
| I have a pet, but finding accommodations suitable for him/her is not possible or is a challenge | 12% | 12% |
| I have a pet, but traveling by train with him/her is not possible or is a challenge | 8% | 9% |

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, base: All respondents, n=1362/ Worldwide n= 11161

## Mobile and App Usage

### Worldwide

## Bookings by Device

#### 2020

#### 36% 47% 46% 48% 46% 53% 57%

# The post-COVID world is mobile-first

#### 64% 53% 54% 52% 54% 47% 43%

### Even with more people working from home

### due to COVID-19 restrictions, eager travelers Worldwide United Japan South East France Germany United

States Asia Kingdom

### increased the share of mobile web bookings, and mobile has overtaken desktop with now

### 51% of transactions. 40%

#### 51% 49% 49% 56% 64% 74%

#### 60% 49% 51% 51% 44% 36%

**26%**

#### Desktop Mobile

Source: Share of bookings by device in travel, App Excluded, Q1 2021 vs Q1 2020. SEA
includes Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia

## App usage keeps increasing globally

Travel players with a booking app have seen
app usage grow in all regions, particulary in  
APAC, where app has also stolen share from
mobile web.

Despite less mobility globally in 2020, desktop
has decreased 10pts YoY.

**Bookings by Site Type, Q1 2021 vs 2020**

## Half of travel app users will share information to get personalized content

When it comes to giving consent to travel
apps to collect their information in order to  
get personalized content, younger  
generations in the US are more likely to do so.  
(65% of US Gen Z and Millennials, 52% of Gen  
X vs 28% of Boomers & Silent).

**“I will give consent to travel apps to collect my**  
**information to get personalized content”**

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, base: All respondents, n=1362  
Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, Worldwide, base: All respondents, n=11161

## When booking a flight, airline websites and online travel agency (OTA) websites are used almost equally

Worldwide, slightly more will book on an OTA  
website vs. directly on an airline website.

A larger majority of US travelers (54%) plan to  
book flights on an airline website directly.

## How are you most likely to book flights for personal travel during the next 12 months?

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, n=584 / Worldwide n=5274  
Base: Respondents who plan to book a flight for their next trip

## Hotel websites and online travel agencies (OTAs) are also used nearly equally for booking lodging

Again, US travelers favored booking directly on  
the hotel/lodging website more than using an  
online travel agency website: 3 in 5 US travelers  
plan to book their next hotel directly on the  
hotel/lodging website.

## How are you most likely to book your hotel / lodging for personal travel during the next 12 months?

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, n=769/ Worldwide: 6730  
Base: Respondents who plan to book a hotel for their next trip

## 6 out of 10 travelers worldwide will rent a car directly on the car rental's website

Older generations mostly plan to book a car  
rental directly on the website of a car rental  
company. Younger generations would  
equally book through a website of a  
car rental company or an online car rental  
agency.

## How are you likely to book a car rental for personal travel during the next 12 months?

On the website of a car rental company

Source: Travel survey, Q1 2021, US, n=299 / Worldwide n=1939  
Base: Respondents who plan to book a car rental for their next trip

## Recommendations

## 2021: Preparing for Take-Off

## Navigating the runway to recovery

Our data and survey findings show that recovery is on the  
horizon and with it comes a reshaping of the travel industry.

Traveler behaviors have changed in terms of how and why they  
book a trip, and what they require to feel safe and confident.

Learn how travel providers can deliver an experience that will  
meet these new expectations and increase bookings, including:

• 4 things that can make or break a reservation

• Tips for ad campaigns that will drive conversions now and fill  
your pipeline for the fall/winter recovery

## 4 Ways to Increase Bookings

## Takeaways from our traveler survey

**Provide fully refundable bookings, to address travelers'**  
fear of uncertainty regarding domestic  
and international travels.

**Continue to maintain social distancing standards and**  
**communicate sanitation procedures to put travelers at**  
ease.

**Optimize your mobile web site and app user**  
**experience, now that mobile has a larger share of**  
transactions.

**Amplify your pet-friendly messaging, to encourage**  
those who have trouble traveling with their pets to  
consider booking with you.

## Drive Bookings During the Summer “Travel Boom”  
## Lean into lifestyle interests, domestic travel, key markets

Use a geo-focused strategy for your ad campaigns  
to connect travelers with local destinations for the  
next 6-12 months.

Prioritize domestic flights, car rental, hotel, and  
vacation rental offerings.

Test ad copy that speaks to the primary goal of  
visiting family and friends/reunion travel.

Get the opt-in! Deliver a great ad experience, and  
then clearly explain what users will get by sharing  
their information with you, so that you can get  
more opt-ins and build your first-party data pool.

## Inspire Potential Travelers Hungry for a New Adventure

Increase awareness and reach new customers  
with relevant cross-channel strategies

Start building anticipation and relationships now, in advance of  
what is shaping up to be a summer into fall travel renaissance.

Use engaging display ad formats, like interactive ads, or video story  
ads to showcase your offerings and include important messaging:

• Refundable tickets, free cancellations

• Social distancing and sanitation measures

• Socially distant/travel bubble trips

• Pet-friendly accommodations
audiences while they're streaming their favorite content.

• Family vacationers

Target relevant audiences like these and more using your own data  
and our massive commerce data set:

• Workationers

• Millennial travelers

• Eco-conscious trip seekers

## Appendix

### APAC

# Travel Bookings by Country, YoY

## Indexed bookings compared to December 2019*

90 **82** 80 **72** **70** 70 **61 61** **57** 60 **54** **49 51** **46** 50 **38 38 38 38** 40 **32** 30 **25** **21 23** **17** 20 **14 12** **12 10 13 11** **7** 10

0 SOUTH EAST ASIA FRANCE SPAIN BRAZIL NETHERLANDS TURKEY SOUTH AMERICA INDIA JAPAN RUSSIAN FEDERATION NORDICS AUSTRALIA UNITED STATES

50 **36** 40 **33 34 35** **28 29 29** **27 27 25** 30 **23 24 24** **21** **17** 20 **13 13 13 15 16**

HONG KONG POLAND GERMANY TAIWAN UNITED KINGDOM ITALY NEW ZEALAND BELGIUM EASTERN EUROPE CANADA PORTUGAL MEA SOUTH KOREA

*Source: Indexed bookings by source country, domestic and international travels combined, all travel categories combined, worldwide, during 4 weeks in th th th th 2021 and 2020 (March 15- April 11 2021 and March 16- April 12 2020). Compared to average in December 2019 (pre-pandemic baseline). Same set of 815 travel players with stable sales tracking during the period.

## Methodology

This report combines organic data from travel players, and survey data.  
**Organic data: 815 Travel Players who partner with Criteo in over 20 countries, accounting for 1.6B annual bookings (220 million bookings in the US).**  
**Survey data from 9 countries and 11,161 respondents:**

| Countries | Respondents |
| --- | --- |
| Australia | 1230 |
| France | 1232 |
| Germany | 1222 |
| Italy | 1214 |
| Japan | 1200 |
| South Korea | 1238 |
| Spain | 1205 |
| United Kingdom | 1258 |
| United States | 1362 |

##

## For more marketing insights, contact Criteo.

About Criteo

Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) is the global technology company powering  
the world’s marketers with trusted and impactful advertising. 2,700 Criteo  
team members partner with over 20,000 customers and thousands of  
publishers around the globe to deliver effective advertising across all  
channels, by applying advanced machine learning to unparalleled  
data sets.
Criteo empowers companies of all sizes with the technology they need  
to better know and serve their customers. For more information, please  
visit www.criteo.com.