Cyber Tourists

Use of the Internet to plan travel is exploding, although only 20% of online travelers actually book online. Some figures for the U.S. population:

Travel Planning on the Internet

(among online travelers)*

1996: 3.1 million (11%%)

1997: 11.7 million (28%)

1998: 33.8 million (48%)

1999: 52.2 million (62%)

*

Amount of Planning They Currently Do Online

Some....43%

Half....27%

Most....19%

All.....11%

*Defined as a person who traveled more than 100 miles from home, one way, at least once in the past year, and uses the Internet.

Source: Travel Industry Assn. of America survey of 1,200 U.S. adults