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New research shows that more trips are being booked over the internet than by phone.

Data from the Travel Industry Association of America show 35 per cent of US travellers booking trips by air, rail, bus or sea used the internet to make reservations.

US tourists booking hotels followed the same pattern. While equal numbers booked online as on the phone, telephone bookings fell by five per cent and online bookings rose by nine per cent.

Those booking online also tended to be more active on their holidays. On average those logging on to travel booked 2.3 activities and those offline opted for 1.7 activities.

Douglas Shifflet, president of D.K. Shifflet & Associates, which carried out the research, said: 'The acceleration in internet booking further demonstrates Americans' comfort with technology that allows them to more directly understand and control their travel choices.'

The initial findings were revealed at the TravelCom 2006 conference and the full report is out in the autumn.


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