More than half of UK holidaymakers (52%) are not loyal to any one provider, new research shows.
A lack of loyalty to travel brands is most evident among those in higher income brackets, with almost three quarters of those earning £65,000 saying they would never book with the same provider consistently.
Brand technology agency Great State surveyed 1,154 consumers across the UK to explore their attitudes and behaviours in leisure and travel in August and September.
Releasing the figures at an event, Miranda Glover, business director at Great State, said the industry was “disenfranchised” and “fragmented”.
“The question we are asking is how can travel brands retain a share of the consumer’s wallet,” she said.
Thomas Cook, Tui, Booking.com and Expedia were found to be the four most trusted brands.
Consumers surveyed also found the same four brands to be the most trusted to offer products which would deliver “end-to-end experiences”.
This means if consumers booked through Thomas Cook, Tui, Booking.com and Expedia they were less likely to have shopped elsewhere.
Delays and cancellations (53%); queues (36%); and hidden costs (35%) have been cited as the top frustrations that would discourage a consumer from repeat booking with a provider.
Matt Boffey, co-founder and director of consulting at Great State, said: “It’s clear from our research that holidaymakers are more demanding than ever.
“And given how many things still go wrong when people are travelling – like delays, lost baggage and missed connections – that means it’s all too easy to disappoint consumers and lose them to an ever-expanding set of rivals.
“In this context, brands’ first priority must be to develop a great end-to-end customer experience, where common pain points are anticipated, and potential disappointment is transformed into delight.
“It’s the only path to winning a greater share of consumer attention, data and spend.”