WayAway says travel sellers overlook opportunity of female audience potential

82% of travel decisions are made by women, finds WayAway survey

Travel provider and sellers overlooking opportunity to embrace female audience potential, says WayAway 

• Following Internationa Women’s Day last Friday and its theme of ‘Inspire Inclusion’, WayAway calls on the travel industry to “embrace and place greater value” on female audiences – particuarly for those travelling with children.
• Recent WayAWay survey of 2,477 statistically relevant female travellers in the United States revealed that 82% of travel decisions are made by women. 

Travel search comparison website WayAway is calling on the travel industry to embrace and place greater value on female audiences following a recent survey of 2,477 statistically relevant female travellers in the United States.

The results of the survey showed that 82% of travel decisions are made by women, with only 10% saying that their partner planned the whole trip. 

This matches other data available in the market which reveals the importance of females in the trip planning phase that is not reflected in how the travel industry creates and markets travel products.  

WayAway – whose website provides discount and even cashback travel options to travellers – and its recent findings provide more insight into the types of holidays females take.

It showed that half of them travelled at least once last year with children and/or their partner, whilst only 29% travelled alone.

Whilst a majority report positive travel experiences, 17% still reported not having enough time to themselves and  13% even said they now needed another holiday to recover. 

8% said they did not include any activities for themselves during their holiday.

Janis Dzenis, director of communications of WayAway, said: “The current range of travel services and search & booking tools available to women do not ‘inspire inclusion’ – the International Women’s Day theme for 2024 – in any way. 

"That despite the fact that, as our research shows, 82% of family trips are booked by a woman. There’s an economic as well as a moral case for targeting female travellers here that almost our whole industry is ignoring. 

“Equally it seems that the whole concept of holiday and relaxation – certainly in a family enviroment – seems to be somewhat unequal for women with 13% saying they need another holiday at the end and 8% not getting to include activities for themselves. I don’t think we need to survey the guys to find out they have a rather different experience! 

“Travel service providers, tour operators and travel intermediaries should be thinking about how to create products that ensure female travellers, particularly those travelling with children, are able to have a more equitable experience. 

"That’s not an easy task, we know, but right now we don’t see anyone trying to fulfill what would seem, on the surface at least, to be more than just a niche.”