Converting Lookers into Bookers in Online Travel DATE ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved. ROSA LÓPEZ GARRIDO MARKET MANAGER EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN AND AFRICA IOETI E-TOURISM CONFERENCE DECEMBER 2012, CAIRO

A little bit about me… Market Manager at Expedia and Hotels.com, the world's leading online travel service and the largest seller of travel worldwide. Responsible for developing emerging markets in the East Mediterranean & Africa Region. My scope includes all on-line channel related activities in my managed destinations, varying from revenue management to strategic planning as well as marketing activities including social media, SEM, mobile, display and affiliation. Passionate about Digital Marketing, new technologies, rock music, reading and of course……traveling around the world! ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

What we are going to talk about today?: “The moment of truth” Basically, we are going to discuss what makes people move from STEP 1 to STEP 2, from an Online perspective and within the travel environment and the various methods you can employ as a brand to win that moment of truth and have the customer interact with your brand in this environment and business ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved. What is the “Moment of Truth”? * * From Business Dictionary.com

The Conversion Funnel and the Online Travel Planning Process ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved. A “conversion funnel” is a very graphic way to describe the path taken by a customer from the shopping / visiting moment until they process an order a sale or conversion. This funnel or process should be on our minds when defining our marketing strategies, since it gives the opportunity to revise, improve and optimize them to produce more conversions and reduce the number of abandonments. The basic funnel consists of 4 steps, you have to always consider that the mindset and attention span of the visitor on each stage will be totally different. 1.AWARENESS: Customer gets to know your brand without necessarily having the desire to purchase. It might be through advertisement, referral or independent discovery. 1.AWARENESS: Customer gets to know your brand without necessarily having the desire to purchase. It might be through advertisement, referral or independent discovery. 2. INTEREST At this point the customer has decided they want or need a product similar to the ones you offer. Most probably they will start reading reviews, making comparisons, asking for opinions and researching their options in detail, most probably using internet. 2. INTEREST At this point the customer has decided they want or need a product similar to the ones you offer. Most probably they will start reading reviews, making comparisons, asking for opinions and researching their options in detail, most probably using internet. 3. DESIRE The customer will make the final decision on the product so you will have their full attention at this stage. It is your opportunity to persuade them to finalize the purchase. 3. DESIRE The customer will make the final decision on the product so you will have their full attention at this stage. It is your opportunity to persuade them to finalize the purchase. 4. ACTION You only have to close the deal at this point and have the customer convert 4. ACTION You only have to close the deal at this point and have the customer convert

© Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary. Expedia Lodging Partner Services | 5 Online Travel Planning Process DESTINATION SELECTION Destination websites Online travel agent (OTA) Search engines Supplier.com Traveler review websites } 4 websites visited on average PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Report, Third Edition Stage

Online Travel Planning Process © Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary. Expedia Lodging Partner Services | SHOPPING Online travel agent (OTA) Search engines Supplier.com Traveler review websites Traveler search websites } 4 websites visited on average PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Report, Third Edition Stage 53

© Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary. Expedia Lodging Partner Services | 7 Online Travel Planning Process PURCHASING Calling supplier directly Calling travel agent Online travel agent (OTA) Supplier.com Traveler search website } 2-3 websites visited on average PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Report, Third Edition Stage 5

© Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary. Expedia Lodging Partner Services | STAY } Stage 53 Online Travel Planning Process

© Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary. Expedia Lodging Partner Services | SHARING Online travel agent (OTA) Traveler review websites } 2 websites visited on average PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Report, Third Edition 5 3 Stage

So how can I convert visitors into buyers along the conversion funnel and online travel planning phases? There are many actions you can take from different perspectives that will help you to optimize results. Let´s list some of these possibilities and see how you can apply them to your brand marketing strategy. FROM A CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE FROM A TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE Expedia / Hotels.com will provide you with the tools and technology to improve on all of these areas. ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

From a Customer Perspective A. USABILITY / PERSUABILITY. B. CONTENT IS KING C. OPINION MATTERS ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

From a Customer Perspective A. USABILITY / PERSUABILITY.  Usability has to do with how easy and pleasant to use is a web site.  Persuability is your web site capacity to condition users to take the desired action, that is to convert. It is closely related to credibility and trust Both elements obviously heavily impact how efficiently an e-commerce web site converts lookers into buyers or bookers in travel. Expedia and Hotels.com web achitecture and marketing teams are well aware about these two key elements. We continuously introduce changes to our sites so as to make them easy to use, attractive and trustful to our customers ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

From a Customer Perspective. The soup is good only if all quality ingredients are used There is an extra bonus in getting all content dimensions right = CONVERSION The TRUST factor BOOK Geography Hotel information Room information Media (pictures) Terms and Conditions Fees Good content plays a critical role across the entire booking process CHOOSEDISCOVER B. CONTENT IS KING

From a Customer Perspective C. GUEST REVIEWS. Reputation management is about taking time to browse through review sites. If you aren’t actively monitoring what customers are saying about your hotel online, you need to make it as a priority. ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

From a Technology Perspective A. SOLOMO ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

From a Technology Perspective Does anyone know what SOLOMO refers to? The star trend for 2012 ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

From a Technology Perspective: SOLOMO Expedia /Hotels.com is heavily investing on the three fronts: ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

From a Technology Perspective: SOLOMO Expedia /Hotels.com is heavily investing on the three fronts: Images explain it better than words: ©2012 Expedia. Confidential & proprietary. All rights reserved.

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