Popular Kiwi Travel Websites

Lies, damned lies, and statistics is a phrase that seems to be applicable when looking at most stats in isolation. This is especially true when looking at a snapshot of the most popular destination and accommodation websites in New Zealand. 

Our last look at webstats was for the week ending 5 March 2011 that had Trade Me owned Travelbug surging from nowhere to take top spot.  We asked at the time if this was a rogue result? Well, apparently it was.

It looks like world-order has resumed  back to normality as the top-10 rankings for destination and accommodation websites in the graphic below show for the week ending 26 March 2011 according to Experian Hitwise.

Of interest to accommodation providers is that TripAdvisor, the provocative website that can divide a room of industry-folk, has returned to the top-spot. Love 'em or loathe 'em, TripAdvisor is the travel website that most Kiwis browse.  

Wotif.com is the most popular OTA, while the AA with its vast array of travel information that includes bookable accommodation attracts strong numbers of browsers.

TradeMe's Holidayhouses and AA's Bookabach remain popular as a flood of privateer homeowners remain willing to expose themselves to the short term accommodation market. The web stats suggest that a vast number of Kiwis planning a trip seem to be at least willing to have a voyeuristic look at the emerging holiday home sector while considering accommodation options.

Probably the sleeping giant in popular bookable Travel Websites is OTA, Booking.com that we reckon are selling on-line rooms in New Zealand at a rate only second to wotif.com.