eTourism Monitor : Sales and market...

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This page catalogs an overview of sales and market trends in the tourism and hospitality industry from 2011 to 2022. It presents a series of studies and reports that analyze the dynamic landscape of hotel distribution, the rise of the sharing economy, and the evolving online presence of tourism organizations. These documents, compiled by the HES-SO Valais-Wallis Institute of Tourism, offer detailed analyses that help to understand how the industry has adapted to changes in technology, consumer behavior, and market demands over the years.

ÖHV-Hotel-Vertriebsstudie: Direktbuchung legt in der Krise erneut zu, February 2022
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The study, conducted jointly by the Austrian Hotel Association (ÖHV) and the Institute of Tourism at HES-SO Valais-Wallis, aimed to assess the current distribution landscape within the hospitality industry. Direct booking channels, including phone, email, and hotel websites, have seen a significant increase, now accounting for 68.7% of hotel stays. This surge is attributed to changes in guest demographics, decreased business travel, and evolving guest preferences during the pandemic year of 2021. The study also highlights a doubling in real-time bookings through hotel websites, reflecting the industry's growing digital maturity. While traditional tourism partners like travel agencies have seen a decline, online travel agencies (OTAs) remain dominant, despite a pandemic-induced dip. Booking Holdings has notably gained market share, comprising 78.5% of OTA bookings. The study underscores the increasing pressure from OTAs on hotels to accept their terms and conditions, while also acknowledging hotels' utilization of OTA strategies to enhance their rankings. Additionally, the report discusses the widespread use of channel managers and interfaces for meta-search engines, with Google Ads emerging as the preferred platform.
How lockdown relaxations in Switzerland have affected travel habits, June 2020
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The study analysed the effect of the progressive lockdown relaxations on holiday planning and the influence of the population’s economic situation on travel habits. Three surveys were carried out from 27 March to 10 April, from 30 April to 20 May, and from 27 to 28 May. The first two surveys were based on the same sample of residents of the nine countries – including Switzerland – that generate the most tourist overnight stays in Switzerland and Valais. The third survey was conducted among Swiss residents exclusively.
Social Media Use of Parks in Europe, October 2019
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"The present report reflects the results of study providing insights about the current social media use of parks (online survey with answers of 42 parks in Switzerland, Austria and Germany and social media KPIs from a panel of European parks). As far as the use of different social media platforms is concerned, our survey clearly confirmed the leading role of Facebook, with more than 90% of the parks using it (around 41% of parks several times a week), followed by Instagram (76%), Twitter (60%), Pinterest (31%) and Google+ (29%). Panels of parks were used to analyse social media KPIs such as number of followers and engagement rates. Our results indicate rather small communities (median value of 2444 fans for Facebook based on 167 profiles and 832 fans on Instagram). In terms of frequency, some social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are used much more intensively than other platforms. Our findings show that by far the most important goal of parks’ social media activities is to gain reach and awareness (90%). Engagement (71%) and conversion goals (59%) follow in second and third place."
La croissance dynamique d’Airbnb en Suisse, June 2019
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This study focuses on the phenomenon of the sharing economy, particularly within the context of peer-to-peer accommodation networks such as Airbnb. It discusses the characteristics and dynamics of the tourist accommodation rental market, Airbnb's profile and evolution, as well as its impact in Switzerland. The study also includes discussions on the growth of Airbnb globally, its market share compared to traditional hotel accommodations, and its implications for various regions, including urban and mountainous tourist destinations in Switzerland.
Online-Verkauf bei Schweizer Bergbahnen – eine Situationsanalyse, April 2019
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With this study, we want to create a situation analysis of online sales at Swiss mountain railway companies. In view of the general dynamics in online sales in tourism and the rise of global players such as Booking.com or Airbnb, the study is intended to provide facts and figures on the intensity of use and spread of digital sales activities in the industry. To determine the current use of online sales by all Swiss mountain railroads, we carried out a content analysis of the websites and apps of the member companies of the Swiss Cable Car Association in September 2018. Information on the topic of online sales (e.g. online turnover) was also collected by means of a telephone survey of 61 mountain railway companies in September 2018.
Global Trends and Best Cases of Digital Transformation of Tourism, December 2018
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This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of digital transformation in the tourism industry, focusing on key concepts, trends, and case studies. It highlights the importance of digital technology in reshaping tourism processes and business models, emphasizing factors such as connectivity, mobile applications, and the role of big players like Google and Airbnb. The document also discusses the impact of digital transformation on various aspects of tourism, including production processes, value chains, and customer empowerment. Moreover, it explores the potential of digital technologies for enhancing sustainability in tourism through improved resource efficiency and stakeholder collaboration. The presentation concludes with a call to action for industry stakeholders to embrace digital transformation and leverage its benefits for sustainable tourism development.
Museums’ use of social media. Results of an online survey conducted in Switzerland and abroad, February 2018
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"The findings show that by far the most important goal of museums’ social media activities is to gain reach and awareness (96%). Engagement (64%) and conversion goals (54%) follow in second and third place."
Smart destinations, challenges for a new management paradigm, October 2017
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Keynote for conference: Smart Destinations: new horizons in tourism research and management (#STDRM2017), University Alicante, 25-27 October 2017
Social Media Nutzung Schweizer Tourismusorganisationen im Vergleich zu DMOs in Frankreich und Belgien, September 2016
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In March 2015, an online survey was conducted among 165 tourism organizations in Switzerland with the aim of obtaining information on the use of social media and the resources used. The study was repeated in 2016 in order to observe developments within the organizations. The results presented in this report are based on the responses of 49 organizations. The aim of this study was to place Swiss practice in a European context. Therefore, points of comparison were created with Belgium and France, based on an identical survey conducted in November 2015.
The importance of the Sharing Economy in the Swiss accommodation sector: the case of Airbnb, June 2016
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This study conducted by Roland Schegg on June 14, 2016, explores the significance of the Sharing Economy, focusing on the case of Airbnb in Switzerland. The Sharing Economy, a component of the digital economy, involves utilizing underutilized assets by making them accessible online, reducing the need for ownership. Airbnb, a leading player, has witnessed substantial growth globally, with projections indicating a significant increase in room nights. In Switzerland, Airbnb listings have more than doubled since 2014, with approximately 1-1.3 million room nights booked in 2015. The study highlights the implications for traditional accommodation providers and suggests a need for strategic reconsideration. It also discusses the challenges and potential future developments in terms of cooperation or legal actions
Marktstudie zu Destinationsmanagement-Systemen (DMS) in Schweizer Destinationen, April 2011
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This study conducted by Roland Schegg and Michael Fux in August 2011 focuses on Destination Management Systems (DMS) in Swiss tourism organizations. They surveyed 210 local and regional tourism offices, with a sample of 92 offices responding. The study found that Feratel Deskline and TOMAS are the dominant DMS in the market, used by two-thirds of participating organizations. While traditional functionalities like reservation and information management are well-perceived, future-oriented features such as channel management and CRM receive less positive evaluations. About 60% of respondents consider changing their DMS due to inflexibility and usability issues. The study concludes that online reservation systems are and will remain the most crucial DMS feature, with mobile reservation becoming increasingly essential. However, the direct impact of reservation systems on nightly bookings by tourism offices is still relatively low, averaging below 5% of total nightly stays.