Tour Operator Gross Bookings Expected to Reach 58.1 Billion Euros by 2015

As Europe's economy recovers from financial crisis, tour operator bookings make slow and steady increases. According to Phocuswright's European Online Travel Overview Ninth Edition (a European and Global Edition report), booking tours is a common choice among European consumers despite setbacks regarding mobile and online penetration, as well as competition from online travel agents. Tour operators are pushed to make significant changes in flexibility and online offerings in order to stay relevant.

"Changes in consumer behavior and preference pose a problem for wholesale operators," says Luke Bujarski, Phocuswright's director, research. "Europeans are moving toward flexible travel, and are booking directly with suppliers or online travel agents. Consumers want the convenience of booking tours online, just like they have with lodging and air."

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Join Luke Bujarski at the interactive spotlight session "European Online Travel Overview" on 20 May during Phocuswright Europe to learn more about the disruptors, innovations and trends in Europe's unique travel market. LEARN MORE

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The tour operator industry has relatively low online booking numbers relative to other segments. Nevertheless, some operators are responding by spending less on traditional brick-and-mortar operations – instead, they are choosing to bulk up their online and mobile presence to tap into Europe's increasingly tech-savvy traveler.

These restructuring efforts are paying off. In 2013, European tour operator online bookings reached €9.2 billion. By 2015, it is projected to reach €10.1 billion. While it is a modest growth, it demonstrates that the tour operator segment is still a major competitor in the European market.

Phocuswright's European Online Travel Overview Ninth Edition is a detailed overview of the European travel market, providing market sizing and growth forecasts through 2015. The report focuses on the European online leisure/unmanaged business travel marketplace, with in-depth analysis of six individual markets: France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain and Scandinavia. The report highlights key trends for all major travel segments, including air, hotel, car rental, tour operators and rail. 



Topics include:

• Size of the European travel market and six individual country markets
• Market forecasts through 2015
• Mobile bookings by country and segment
• Distribution patterns by segment and channel
• In-depth analysis of all major travel supplier segments
• Trends among key travel companies

Phocuswright's European Online Travel Overview Ninth Edition provides a comprehensive picture of the European online travel market, delivering data and analysis essential to any travel company competing in Europe.