The analysis comes in a series of predictions that the online travel agency has argued could hit the world of travel during 2016.
Booking.com reckons the industry will see “further radical evolution” in business travel nest year, in particular a move for “C-suite execs and PhD students to take advantage of more customised, connected and responsive products and services”.
It argues that location will remain the most important element of a decision, but alternative accommodation, such as self-catering and homestays, overtaking the number of bookings of hotels.
The company doesn’t say which countries could experience such as seismic shift in traveller behaviour, but argues the change will be driven by the need of travellers for “enhanced services, smart knowledge and the chance to better get to know an area for a more rewarding trip”.
Such pronouncements coincide again with the company’s gradual shift in recent weeks to highlight the volume in inventory it now carries which comes from outside of the traditional hotel sector.
It has also been making a concerted effort to woo business travellers.
Lurking elsewhere in its crystal ball, alongside predicting a larger number of Chinese travellers heading to South East Asian cities for weekend breaks, Booking.com sees more hotels developing virtual reality content to showcase a product and destination, as well as increased use of personalisation by hotels and other travel brands.
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