Understanding Consumer Advance
Booking Behavior
Mohamed ELSayad
Business Development Manager
MSN Arabia
Egypt, Levant & The GCC
May 2005

The Online Shift!
Online drives traffic &
reservations
Online as a part of the
media mix!

MSN Arabia users
Not Using
• 2 of every 3 internet MSNA
users in the Arab 34%
Region are MSN
Arabia users Using MSNA
66%
MSN Arabia users are larger than the population of UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain combined
• 70% from MSN users come from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.
• Highest penetration in Lebanon
Total Time spent by MSN Arabia users everyday on the portal only is equivalent to
2 and half centuries….250 years!!

Online Travel Purchasing
KEY QUESTIONS
• How far in advance of their departure do
leisure travelers research & purchase Airline
Tickets & Hotel Accommodations online?
• What should Online Travel Companies be doing
to target their cross-selling efforts?

Online Travel Purchasing
Airfare Purchased
(in weeks)
14% 18% 33% 25% 10%
10 Wks + 7 -10 Wks 4 – 6 Wks 2 – 3 Wks 1 Week
1 56%
Airfare Research Time
2–3 51% 32%
(in weeks)
4–6 57% 33% 6%
7 – 10 55% 26% 9%
10 + 93% 40% 12%
Percentage of Online Airline Buyers

Online Travel Purchasing
Use of Search Engines
• General Search Sites
• Meta Search Sites
– Ingredient brands; Integration with larger partners

Online Travel Purchasing
Use of Search Engines
Don’t Use Use Some
any Search Search
• Knowing why Travelers use
Search can help Customer Business
3% 13%
Targeting Lookers
Business
3% 35%
Bookers
• Capture Cross-channel Shoppers
Leisure
9% 22%
Lookers
• Appeal to business travelers’ needs
Leisure
for convenience & value 23% 50%
Bookers
• Take advantage of leisure travel up-sell opportunities

Online Travel Purchasing
Use of Search Engines
• Knowing why Travelers use Search can help
Customer Targeting
Why would you use a search Engine? Mark all that apply!
Get Inform ation about a 61%
64%
destination
See if any special offers or 56%
prom otions are available 53%
52%
Find rates & Fares
53%
Find things to do in m y 47%
46%
destination
Learn about w hich travel 41%
39%
suppliers serve a m arket
Find pictures about the 33%
Leisure Travelers
destination 35%
Business Travelers
Help decide w hich 28%
31%
destination to visit
28%
Learn about places to eat
33%
`

When do consumers go online for travel information
As soon as I decided to
44%
take a vacation
Once I selected the
destination I w anted to 22%
research
Once I w as ready to
13%
research/purchase
After speaking to a
11%
friend/family
Other 6%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
At what point do you access the internet when thinking about a travel purchase?
Source: eMarketer, 2004

Preferred online travel related tasks for consumers
80%
Reserve a hotel
73%
68%
Make an airline
reservation 64%
45%
Reserve a rental car
32%
Book a complete
package 20%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Leisure travelers Business travelers
What activities do you prefer to book online?
Source: Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russel/Yankelovich Partners, April 2004

Non-work related websites which at work users frequent
News 84%
Travel 64%
Shopping 55%
Online banking 53%
38%
Sports
Video clip/audio sites 27%
19%
Game sites
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Source: Harris Interactive commissioned by Websense, Inc., April 2004

Search is the preferred route
50.0%
Search
48.0%
Guessed URL
45.0%
% of users choosing each method of reaching a site
40.0%
38.0%
36.0%
30.0%
26.0%
20.0%
20.0%
18.0%
14.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Travel Auto Telecom Banking
Source: DoubleClick March 2004

What travelers know before researching online Area of
opportunity to
Destination 88%
up-sell with your
brand and
Dates 80%
services
Length 76%
Budget 44%
Activities 27%
Hotel 16%
Airline 15%
Site for purchase 6%
Purchase as package 4%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
What decision had you made prior to beginning your online research?
Source: Jupiter Research June 2003

THANK YOU for your attention!
mohamed.elsayad@link.net