Two in five Brits wary of travel scams
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Two in five (43 per cent) Brits are afraid of becoming scam victims when booking holidays, new research from the global online review community Trustpilot has revealed.
This is one of the busiest times of the year for holiday bookings, as the British winter weather prompts many people to make their summer holiday plans.
According to the research, more than two thirds of respondents (68 per cent) say holidays are an important investment for them, while three quarters (74 per cent) say holidays are one of the biggest individual spends they make every year. Additionally, 62 per cent of respondents said they proactively save money during the year to spend on holiday.
As holidays are such an important purchase, it is essential that customers don’t become victims of a scam. As a result, Trustpilot is advising holiday goers to spend time researching holiday providers before booking a holiday with them, and it outlines the top “trust triggers” for customers when researching holiday companies.
No hidden fees tops the list of “trust triggers”, with 91 per cent of respondents saying this is important to them when making a decision about booking a holiday through a holiday provider. Other trust triggers include an easy-to-use booking system (86 per cent), a user-friendly website (80 per cent) and positive online reviews (78 per cent).
TOP HOLIDAY BOOKING TRUST TRIGGERS:
No hidden fees | 91% |
Reasonable price | 90% |
Easy-to-use booking system | 86% |
Protected purchase (e.g. ATOL protected) | 81% |
User-friendly website | 80% |
Positive online reviews | 78% |
Telephone customer service | 72% |
Heard of the brand | 72% |
Recommendations from family and friends | 47% |
Positive feedback on social media | 40% |
The research highlights that a company’s online presence is especially important to holiday makers. Almost three quarters of consumers (73 per cent) say they wouldn’t purchase a holiday from a website which looks unprofessional. Plus, the research also shows that online reviews are a crucial factor in helping consumers make informed decisions when booking a holiday. 65 per cent say they specifically consider a company’s reviews before making a holiday booking with them, while 69 per cent of respondents say they will choose a holiday provider that has better reviews over a cheaper one with poor reviews.
James Westlake, VP Trustpilot UK, said: “The fact that 43 per cent of consumers are afraid of getting scammed when booking a holiday is concerning. Providers clearly need to up their game in order for prospective customers to be able to trust their services. Addressing these top trust triggers will help customers feel more confident when making a booking. For example, as our research shows, companies need to ensure they have a solid website and an intuitive booking system, or customers will book elsewhere. Additionally, online reviews are important. Spending time reviewing feedback from customers and responding to reviews will enable providers to improve their services and instil trust in customers.”
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