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04 November 2013 09:21
PCs and laptops are the most popular way of booking holidays overseas online
Almost half of all holidays booked last year were done so online with PCs and laptops the main devices used - but there is a growing trend for older people using tablet computers to book their getaway, a survey has revealed.
The 2013 ABTA Consumer Trends Survey shows a slight increase on last year's total for online bookings - up one percentage point to 49%.
A total of 96% of respondents booked at least one holiday overseas via a laptop or PC. Holidays booked on mobiles and tablets were down on 2012's figure, falling from 24% to 20%.
Mobiles are slightly more popular than tablets for holiday bookings, with 11% using phones as opposed to 9% on tablet devices.
However, the rise in bookings made on tablet computers was sharpest among those at the older end of the holiday market where over-65s were keener to use tablets as opposed to smartphones. Among that age group, 7% made tablet bookings in 2013, up from less than 1% just a year previously.
If older folk have managed to find a good deal online when booking their holiday then they are reminded they're also likely to find a good deal for seniors travel insurance online too.
A recent survey from YouGov, carried out earlier this year, showed that one in three tablet owners (31%) were aged over 55. The Tablet Tracker also found that 22% of the adult population now own a tablet - this was up from 18% in the previous quarter.
Among the 16-24 age group, with 46% saying they had used mobiles and tablets to book a sunshine break, according to ABTA.
ABTA communications chief Victoria Bacon said the study showed most holidaymakers are reliant on desktops and laptops for bookings - with the gap between people owning smartphones and tablets and those who use them to buy a trip abroad.
But she added: "The findings also debunk the myth that older generations don't engage with new technology: tablet devices, in particular, are proving to be increasingly popular among older age groups."
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