53% of UK consumers research and buy holidays online, though many could be deterred by unclear pricing, according to a survey commissioned by Econsultancy.

The Toluna survey of 2,004 UK consumers found that 29% of respondents don’t find travel websites easy to use, and that unclear pricing is the most likely reason for abandoning purchases online.

Some highlights from the survey after the jump…

Researching and buying holidays

The survey found that 53% of respondents research and buy holidays online, while almost 30% research online and book their holidays offline.

15% said that holiday research and purchase all takes place offline, while 14% research offline before booking online.

To put it another way, the internet is involved in almost 85% of holiday purchases, which highlights the importance of the web for travel firms.

For most people, a holiday will be one of the major purchases of the year, so it’s understandable that consumers will take time considering their options.

While just under 10% take less than a day to research their purchase, the majority (64%) take two weeks or more, while 26% take a week or less.

Travel websites need to realise that customers will take time to make a decision about a purchase, and the best approach is to ensure that consumers can get the information they need without having to shop around too much.

Apart from offering competitive prices, a usable search function, and plenty of reviews and information on a site can reduce the need for customers to head elsewhere.

Which resources do customers use for holiday research?

* 53% of respondents used travel agent’s websites while researching their holiday purchase.
* 49% head for Google or some other search engine.
* 42% use flight or hotel search engines.
* 40% are influenced by recommendations from friends and family.
* Duncan Bannatyne may not like it, but 39% of respondents use Tripadvisor reviews as part of their research.
* Just under 10% use Facebook and other social sites for holiday research.

Read the rest of this story at EConsultancy