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Orbitz Takes Top Spot in J.D. Power Study

October 24, 2005
Orbitz.com ranks highest in customer satisfaction with booking a hotel reservation online through an independent travel Web site, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Independent Hotel Web Site Study.

Orbitz • Air travel • Hotels • Minors • MWI charges • Unauthorized charges --- News • Orbitz Takes Top Spot in J.D. Power Study

The inaugural study measures the satisfaction of hotel guests who booked their reservations with one of six major independent travel Web sites that offer hotel comparison reservation services for consumers.

Overall satisfaction is measured based on six factors: usefulness of the information; ease of booking; layout and design; availability of packages; ease of finding information; and ease of navigation.

With industry-leading ratings from customers in all six factors for hotel information and booking services, Orbitz.com clearly outranks its competitors in overall satisfaction. Customers rate Orbitz.com particularly high for the site’s ease of booking hotel rooms.

Orbitz.com is followed in the rankings by Expedia.com, Hotwire.com and Travelocity.com, respectively.

"Orbitz.com is doing a good job connecting with consumers in several key areas when it comes to booking hotel reservations," said Linda Hirneise, global travel and hospitality practice leader at J.D. Power and Associates. "Hotel guests are becoming increasingly savvy, showing a growing preference to book their reservations online. They’re looking for sites that not only offer competitive pricing, but are also convenient and easy to use."

Overall, 41 percent of all hotel reservations were booked online in 2005 -- up from 36 percent in 2004. Hotel guests are increasingly turning directly to hotel brand sites to book their reservations online.

Among guests who booked their hotel reservations online, about two-thirds (68%) booked through the hotel brand Web site -- a 17-percent increase from 2004. Independent sites are finding it difficult to compete with hotel brand sites offering lowest-price guarantees and loyalty programs.

"The race to capture the large portion of hotel guests still using traditional methods of booking their reservations means that travelers can look forward to exciting competitive offerings from both types of travel Web sites," said Hirneise.

"Independent sites already have a clear advantage over hotel brands in offering one-stop shopping for travelers in terms of packages that include hotel, airfare and rental cars. The key will be in keeping one step ahead of hotel sites that may be close to offering travel packages of their own and constantly finding innovative ways to make booking hotel reservations easier and more attractive to consumers," Hirneise said.

The study also finds that guests who book their hotel reservations online are very heavy cross-shoppers. On average, a guest who books their hotel reservation online through an independent Web site visits 3.8 sites. Those who book through a hotel brand Web site visit an average of 2.9 sites.

The 2005 Independent Hotel Web Site Study is based on responses from 3,668 consumers who booked their hotel reservations through an independent Web site.

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