A total of 35,042 people from 26 countries participated in the online survey from December 2012 to January.2013. (Download full report).

According to its findings, globally 69% of travellers plan their travel online, while In Asia 62% of the respondents use this method, with 46% in Indonesia.

Similarly travellers globally are booking accommodation via web-based travel agencies (27%), followed by accommodations’ own websites (23%).

Business owners reported their own website as the channel that generates the most bookings (35%) for them, followed by online travel agencies (18%). However, only 9% of travellers book their last accommodation through store front travel agencies (offline travel agents).

About 28% of Asian accommodations cited their own website for generating the majority of their bookings, followed by online travel agencies (24%) and their own mobile app (13%).

Travel review websites have the biggest influence on travellers’ decisions when choosing an accommodation, according to results from the survey.

About 95% of Asian travellers indicated that other people’s reviews and opinions on travel review websites have influenced their decision to book accommodations for their last trip.

A majority (97%) of accommodations in the region perceived online reviews to be of crucial importance for generating booking.

The survey also found that 79% of Asian travellers thought it was beneficial that hotels allowed them to book accommodation via a mobile device.

Similarly, three quarters of accommodations in Asia (74%) considered it important to allow guests to book their property on a mobile device.

Despite the perceived importance of mobile booking capabilities and consumer demand for this option, only 29% of Asian properties currently engage with guests via mobile devices. Of these 67% allow guests to book rooms on mobile devices, 39 percent have a mobile friendly website and 25 percent have special offers for mobile device users.

Christine Petersen, president, TripAdvisor for business, said with travellers choosing digital channels for their travel planning and research, traditional word of mouth has been amplified and online booking has become the norm across the globe.

“The next logical step is mobile, especially considering that travellers in some emerging markets are bypassing desktops and getting online for the first time using mobile devices. Furthermore, as business optimism and travel budgets increase across Asia, it seems likely that hospitality businesses in the region will benefit from this positive sentiment.”