In upcoming newsletters we will compare the seasonality trends of a wide range of industry sectors; but for this issue we will start exclusively with travel, as this is one of the most important online industries.

For each industry we use a basket of keywords, each basket representing one of ten important sub-sectors within the industry. For example, in travel we have identified the following sub-sectors; package holidays, city breaks, short haul resorts, Europe family holidays, skiing holidays, flights, UK family holidays, cruises, safaris, long haul resorts. By comparing the number of searches for each sub-sector with the previous month’s figures, we can track seasonality throughout the year.

Industry Trend:

As expected, global searches in the UK travel sector dropped over February. In our experience this February phenomenon is normal after the usual January feeding frenzy. The industry typically picks up again in March and April and lasts until the end of the summer.

Sub-Sector Trend:

This month, eight out of ten of the identified holiday sub-sectors experienced a drop in daily keyword averages, compared to their January figures. After Christmas and New Year, many families’ thoughts turn to the summer holiday and this is why January is so strong. As February traditionally corresponds to a lull in interest for the travel sector, we expect a similar lull for each of the sub-sectors. This month, UK Family Holidays and Short Haul Resorts saw a particularly sharp decline in search.

However, what is interesting is that two long-haul based sub-sectors have bucked this trend; safaris and long haul resorts. See graph below.

Does this show that family-style holidays show larger seasonal fluctuations than products aimed at the more adventurous or dedicated travellers?

In the spirit of our Web 2.0 article above, we would like to hear your views on what these stats mean, and your experiences of the seasonality of your sub-sector. Please send your comments to me at huwthomas@leadgenerators.co.uk

Next month, we will unveil the full LG Search Index, and we’ll focus on the financial services sector.