TravelCLICK`s eMonitor results for the second quarter of 2003 show that worldwide electronic hotel bookings were up 2.1% for the Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and Internet combined. 
This year-over-year growth was fueled by a 39% increase in Internet bookings made through third-party Web sites powered by either Pegasus or the GDS.

On the other hand, hotel room nights booked electronically through the Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and key Internet sites were stable (up 0.1 percent) versus the same period last year.  “Despite the increase in total bookings, room nights were flat because of a decline to 2.07 room nights per booking for this year’s second quarter versus 2.11 room nights per booking for the same period last year,” said Bruce W. Mainzer, senior vice president of marketing for TravelCLICK.

Electronic room nights year-to-date through the second quarter increased by 1.6% from the same time period last year, while revenue was up only 0.6% due to a 1.0% ADR decline.  Average length of stay for the 2003 year-to-date period was 2.09 nights, down from last year`s 2.12 nights.

eMonitor results are compiled from TravelCLICK`s comprehensive database, which is the exclusive source of hotel industry electronic distribution data from the Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, and Worldspan GDSs. 
TravelCLICK’s eMonitor also includes hotel bookings made through third-party travel Internet Web sites powered by Pegasus Solutions.

Travel Agent Component

Travel agent bookings remained the dominant source of GDS and Pegasus hotel e-business, representing 77% of total room nights.  The travel agent component of GDS bookings had a 0.4% increase in ADR versus the first quarter of 2002.  Travel agents continued to be a key source of higher rate business for hotels.  The average rate for room nights booked through travel agents was 49% higher than the average rate for room nights booked via the Internet.  On a year-to-date basis, travel agent room nights were off 4.6% from 2002, while average rate increased 1.1%.

Internet Component
Internet (consumer online) room nights displayed growth of 35.3% above the second quarter of 2002. However, average rate was down for GDS and Pegasus-powered Internet bookings by 1.0% compared to the prior year.

Year to date, the Internet component displayed a 35.5% growth in room nights over the first six months of 2002. Average rate was only down by 0.6%, which led to a 34.6% increase in revenue for 2003 year-to-date through the second quarter.

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