Mr. Rod Cuthbert, CEO of Viator.com analyzes in TravelDailyNews the trends that are going to drive online travel market and the challenges travel destination websites face today.

TravelDailyNews: What kind of trends are going to drive the online travel market?

Rod Cuthbert: The part of the market we care most about relates to destination activities: the things people do when they arrive in their destination. There’s no doubt that consumers have taken to “being their own travel agent” with some enthusiasm, and now we’re seeing that the part they like best is researching their activities… which makes sense, as it’s a lot more interesting to think about a surfing lesson, or a chocolate lover’s walking tour, or the Moulin Rouge or some other cool activity than it is to think about the price difference between two airlines, or which hotel room will have the most space! So, we see the consumer market pushing online travel sites towards a much more destination-oriented focus, and we see that as naturally being good for Viator.

TDN: As advance booking is changing the whole market what are your estimations for the future? Is this going to affect the way tour operators work?

R. C.: We think tour operators will need to become much more reliant on booking systems that allow partners like Viator access to real-time inventory. That’s a natural progression, not one that will surprise anyone in the industry.

TDN: What are the factors that influence consumer purchasing behaviour today? Why do they choose to book in advance?

R. C.: Principally they are looking to ensure they don’t miss out on the activity they have set their heart on, but also because they’re looking to save money, and to save time while on holiday.

TDN: How would you characterize the Americans and Europeans online booking behaviour? Do you see any differences?

R. C.: We’re doing a survey about that right now, so it’s a little early to be scientific about an answer on this; anecdotally, we don’t see any major differences.

TDN: Recently Viator signed cooperation agreement with Silverjet. What are your expectations from this partnership and what’s coming next?

R. C.: Well, SilverJet serves two important markets for us, and their customers, we imagine, will enjoy the ability to book some cool things to do in both New York and London. As SilverJet expands to new ports, we have them covered, with 6,000 things to do in 450 cities worldwide. SilverJet is only a small carrier today, but they have big plans for growth and we`re delighted to have been chosen as a partner.

TDN: What are the major problems that travel destination websites face today?

R. C.: The major challenge for websites is keeping consumers engaged and loyal. This is particularly the case for online travel agents, who are selling commodity items like flights and hotels, that can be found on literally hundreds of different sites. There’s tons of research about how consumers shop 4 or 5 sites before buying, so that’s a real challenge. Viator is a leader in a specialised space, so web surfers will pretty quickly figure out we are the only guys who specialise in this, and hopefully we get some advantage from that!