LONDON, UK, MAY 16, 2007 – comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, today announced the results of a study of the European online travel industry, revealing that 108.6 million Europeans – or half of the total European online population aged 15 and older – visited a travel related site during March 2007, an increase in traffic of 6 percent versus March 2006.

According to comScore, Expedia Inc. led the European travel category with 18.5 million European unique visitors aged 15 and older during March. The second most-visited European travel site was ViaMichelin, with 13.5 million European unique visitors, followed by the TUI Group’s 12.5 million European unique visitors.

 “Half of the European online population visited a travel site in March – it is clearly one of the most popular activities on the Internet,” commented Bob Ivins, managing director of comScore Europe.

comScore also revealed that Europeans who visited travel sites in March spent an average of almost 37 minutes browsing travel-related content.  Within the travel category, online travel agencies garnered the most time spent, 19 minutes on average, followed by airline sites (17 minutes) and hotel sites (15 minutes).

Top European Travel Sites by Unique Visitors in Europe, Age 15+ March 2007 Total Europe – Home and Work Locations* Source: comScore World Metrix
	Unique Visitors (000)	Category Reach (%)**	Average Minutes per Visitor
Total Internet Population – Europe	219,057	--	1,575.9
Travel Category	108,581	100	36.7
Expedia Inc	18,516	17	8.6
ViaMichelin	13,549	12	9.5
TUI Group	12,503	12	13.1
Lastminute.com Sites	9,794	9	9.9
Priceline.com Incorporated	8,858	8	8.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.

** Percent of Travel category users who visited the individual site

 

About comScore
comScore, Inc. is a global leader in measuring the digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behaviour, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behaviour and attitudes.  comScore analysts apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI.  comScore services are used by more than 700 clients, including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Expedia.  For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.