More Sri Lankans looking to book domestic holidays online: survey

June 20, 2013 (LBO) - About 23 percent of domestic holidaymakers in Sri Lanka are booking hotels online and up to 85 percent were considering internet booking for their next holiday, according to survey on travel planning.









BQu Services, an online marketing and research firm that conducted the survey said 85 percent of holidaymakers said they would book online if the credibility and reliability of the websites were higher.

"[I]it would be important for website owners to reassure people more about their services, and also provide easy access to a human being at the point of decision making," the company said.

BQu Services said Sri Lanka's email penetration was over three million and there were over 1.

2 million Facebook users.

About 75 percent of respondents to the company's 'Domestic Holiday Planning Survey, Sri Lanka, March 2013' had travelled more than twice a year to domestic travel destinations.

Only 6 percent booked domestic holidays through a travel agent and 70 percent used the telephone.

Agoda.com was the most preferred booking engine.

Online booking has also transformed international travel.