Internet Delivers for Holidaymakers!

Planning a vacation is something most Australians do at least once, if not twice each year, according to recent research commissioned by Take A Break Away and undertaken by Creative Thinking Marketing. And, many of us choose to holiday over the summer.

Deciding where we want to go is another matter, it means looking at location and availability, as well as seeking personal recommendations from friends and relatives. And, more and more the Internet is seen as the primary place to go help us find the right place to stay - including search engines, Internet accommodation directories and tourist information websites.

So, what do we look for when we look for a place to take a break? We prefer holiday properties with a few of those extra facilities – pools or spas, nearby dining facilities and local attractions, and more often than not, something that caters for children. “I need to know if there are activities for children nearby, that is all part of the ideal holiday experience” says Ben Govett of Castle Hill.

On the flipside, are those who specifically look for places to stay that do not cater for children. Now, some would say that’s a real break away!

When talking about online methods used to search for holiday accommodation, Australian holiday makers want to be able to view properties online, see a range of properties at once, to find out about availability and to book accommodation whilst still on line. “If I can see whether a property is available for the specific dates I want, then that is key” says Tania Grose-Hodge an Australian living in Singapore, and a frequent holidaymaker in Australia, “I don’t have to make arrangements during business hours, I can do it at midnight if I like”.

Asked what would be the one thing that could be done to make it easier to find the right holiday accommodation, a web-based search facility was the overwhelming answer. Something  with comprehensive listings that allows you to search on facilities, size, location, type of property and communicates about specials and deals.

Take A Break Away (www.takeabreak.com.au) , an online Australian holiday accommodation portal was designed specifically with this research in mind, to provide an easy to use, easy to book search facility for holidaymakers in Australia as well as for holiday properties to list online.

Property owners can also utilise the calendar availability system to ensure their availability is kept up to day. Take A Break Away offers a win-win solution for both tourists and properties owners – with owners being able to list easily and for free, with a low, flat rate success fee if bookings are accepted.

So, want to know the quick way to find and book Australian holiday accommodation and time of the day? Get online!

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About the Research

This research was conducted by Internet and hard-copy questionnaires during May to June 2003. The research is copyright © Creative Thinking Asia Pacific 2003.

About Creative Thinking

Creative Thinking Marketing is an Australian-based group that helps businesses identify the right promotional tools to grow and facilitates an integrated approach to marketing and business expansion. www.creative-thinking.com.au

For more information about this research or Take A Break Away, including interviews, please contact Penny Young of Creative Thinking Marketing on 0438 680 974,  02 9905 7415 or media@takeabreak.com.au

Copies of high quality digital images to go with this story can be downloaded from http://www.takeabreak.com.au/Images.html   or please e-mail media@takeabreak.com.au  if you would like access to a custom image.