Global distribution system (GDS) platforms, Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, have revealed their latest trends, with booking lead times, payment methods, and consumer travel spending priorities being key themes.
Lead times
Andy Hedley, GM South Africa, Amadeus, said although the GDS did not routinely publish search or booking lead times, it had noticed a trend for shorter booking lead times for sporting and music events.
“Across international markets, we see evidence that travellers are showing a strong interest in traveling to live events – including sports and music events – with lead times shortening by five days on average.”
Meanwhile, Sabre said it had uncovered a booking trend of longer lead times for leisure bookings.
“There’s a growing preference for booking leisure travel three months in advance, a move towards more forward-planning strategies. This trend is likely to be driven by a desire for cost savings and a reduction in concerns related to travel uncertainty that were prevalent during the pandemic.
“Business travel bookings tend to be made with a narrower window of two to four weeks prior to departure, indicating a prioritisation of flexibility and immediate needs rather than long-term planning,” the GDS said.
Payments go virtual
Regarding payment methods, Sabre highlighted that one of the leading trends was virtual payments.
“For Sabre, virtual cards are at the forefront of the most common payment methods in the B2B travel industry. Sabre's commitment to virtual cards, particularly through Sabre Virtual Payments, highlights the benefits in terms of security, efficiency, and convenience. They address the complexities of travel transactions by offering a secure, automated, and integrated payment solution that simplifies and adds value to transactions for travel management companies, online travel agencies and travel suppliers,” said Sabre.
Travel spend grows
The second edition of the ‘Consumer travel spend priorities’ research conducted by Outpayce from Amadeus, revealed that high-earning households were expected to drive continued strong demand for international travel over 2024.
Despite continuing economic uncertainty, higher earners – categorised as households with more than US$120 000 (R2,3 million) in pre-tax income per annum — prioritised international travel, citing successful investments, savings made during the pandemic and pay rises as key enablers.
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International travel was deemed a ‘high priority’ by 68% of higher earners compared with 47% across all salary brackets.
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65% of higher earners plan to take more international trips over the coming 12 months than they did in 2019, compared with 38% of respondents across all income brackets.
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58% of higher earners plan to spend more on international travel over the coming 12 months than they did in 2019, compared with an average of 36% across all salary brackets.
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Higher earners expect to spend $7 413 (R141 135) on international travel over the coming 12 months, compared with an average of $3 422 (R65 151) across all salary brackets.
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When higher earners were asked why they could spend more on travel, the top answers were:
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Made money on recent investments so I can spend on travel (41%)
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Saved during the pandemic, enabling greater spend on travel (40%)
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Received a pay rise recently, meaning I have the freedom to spend on travel (40%).
Jean-Christophe Lacour, SVP Global Head of Product Management and Delivery, Outpayce from Amadeus, commented: “We’re seeing continued strong demand for travel across most parts of the world and it’s clear that higher-earning households are major contributors to this trend.”
According to Sabre's 2024 trends, more than 75% of travellers are mapping out two or more journeys, with nearly 90% planning to maintain or increase their spending compared with 2023. Approximately 40% of these travellers anticipate a budget boost, a trend especially pronounced amongst Gen-Z travellers.
A prominent trend is the growing popularity of travelling as a couple. Sustainability concerns make a showing, as there is now a willingness to pay a premium of up to 5% for more sustainable travel options. Additionally, a substantial number of travellers are open to paying up to 15% more to offset the carbon emissions generated by their trips.