Convenience stands out as a key consideration in online hotel booking, according to BOI Research’s October 2018 study. Among surveyed online bookers, smartphone app availability and ease of use are more commonly cited reasons for choosing a platform than lower prices. For booking platforms, the findings suggest that making the booking process accessible and straightforward deserves attention alongside pricing and promotions.
Summary
Convenience leads: Smartphone app availability (72%) and ease of use (57%) are more commonly cited than cheaper prices (40%).
Traveloka leads awareness and usage: 97% recognise the brand, and 70% of online bookers use it most often.
Online booking remains limited in the 2018 sample: Only 12% report booking hotels online in the preceding year.
Two findings support this conclusion. First, respondents place mobile access and usability ahead of discounts when explaining their platform choice. Second, brand awareness and actual usage follow different patterns: Pegipegi ranks second in awareness, but Tiket.com ranks second in usage among online bookers. Being recognised does not necessarily mean being the platform consumers use.
Convenience features more prominently than price
Among the 53 respondents who report booking hotels online in the preceding 12 months, 72% cite the availability of a smartphone application as a reason for choosing their booking platform. Ease of using the application follows at 57%.
Price remains relevant, but fewer respondents mention it: 40% cite cheaper prices, while 30% mention promotions or discounts. A choice of payment methods matters to 21%, and an easy-to-use website to 19%.
These responses suggest that consumers value practical access and a straightforward experience alongside financial savings.
Traveloka leads awareness and usage in online hotel booking
Traveloka has the highest brand awareness, recognised by 97% of the full sample of 449 respondents. Pegipegi follows at 72%.
Among online bookers, 75% report using Traveloka in the preceding 12 months, and 70% name it as their most frequently used platform. Tiket.com follows, with 19% reporting usage and 13% using it most often. Pegipegi records 9% and 8%, respectively.
The findings show why awareness and usage should be measured separately. The research does not establish why respondents choose one brand over another.
Online bookings account for a small share of respondents
Only 12% of respondents report booking a hotel online in the preceding 12 months. This figure describes participation within the survey sample; it is not the percentage of all hotel reservations made online.
The report shows average spending of Rp778.846 per room per night for online bookings, compared with Rp701.923 for offline bookings. Across reported hotel bookings, respondents book an average of 1.2 rooms for 1.5 nights.
About the research
The study draws on a face-to-face survey from October 2018 among 449 respondents aged 18 to 44 y.o.. The respondent profile covers Greater Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung. Findings about platform usage and choice are based on 53 online bookers and should be interpreted with that smaller sample in mind.
The findings provide a snapshot of consumer behaviour in 2018. For broader industry context, explore BPS hotel occupancy statistics. To understand how consumers recognise, choose and use brands, learn more about BOI’s market and consumer research.
