![](https://www.travelvoice.jp/english/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/stockfoto_42974302_S.jpg)
The awareness survey on gathering of overseas travel information, jointly conducted to users of arukikata.co.jp by Skyscanner and Big Diamond, discovers that they have both merits and demerits in purchasing travel products online.
The survey finds that more than eighty percent answered ‘to find unknown information,’ ‘many options to be offered,’ ‘be free to make a travel plan’ or ‘to shorten time’ as merits. On the contrary, more than fifty percent answered ‘difficult to understand a booked product benefits or not because of too many booking sites’ or ‘confusing because of too many options’ as demerits.
![sky1](http://www.travelvoice.jp/english/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/sky1.jpg)
Interestingly, the ratio of answers of ‘being confident of booking the best product’ was just 25%, and the ratio was 20% or lower among 34 years old or younger and 35 to 59 years old. In reverse, the ratio was about 40% among 60 yeas old or older. About a lead-time from gathering of information to booking, the biggest ratio was 60% for one week, followed by about 20% for four to seven days.
![sky2](http://www.travelvoice.jp/english/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/sky2.jpg)
The most popular reference to decide a destination was travel guidebook (91%), followed by online media (86%), travel agents’ brochures (77%) and travel magazines (77%). Regarding SNS, more than half of 34 years old or younger used it as reference, and the ratio was higher than that in other age segments: 39% among 35 to 44 years old, 36% among 45 to 59 years old and 19% among 60 years old or older.
![sky3](http://www.travelvoice.jp/english/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/sky3.jpg)
The most popular reference to gather information in traveling was also travel guidebook (83%), followed by search online (46%) and hearing from other travelers (27%). Among 34 years old or younger, search online was top with the ratio of about 60%.
The survey was conducted to 2,457 20 years or older males and females on arukikata.co.jp in the period from June 7 to 20 2016.
In Japanese