• 84% of internet connections are broadband.
  (Source: Office for National Statistics, August 2007)
• Surfing the web is Britain's favourite pastime with 164 minutes being spent on the internet compared with an average of 148 minuted spent watching television. (Source: WUG*Bytes, March 2006)
• By 2011, there will be 45 million internet users in the U.K. (73.2%)
  (Source: eMarketer, October 2007)

The internet matures:

• The internet celebrated its 30th birthday in November 2007.
• There has been a significant growth in the number of 'silver surfers' in the US. (Source: HotelMarketing.com, November 2007)
• People aged 55t+ are set to become the UK's largest demographic group of internet users.
  (Source: Hitwise, July 2007)
• Retired adults in the UK spend an average of 6 hours per week online (compared to US - 9 hours)
  (Source: Emarketer, October 2007)

The online buyer:

• 44% of the UK population has bought online. 51% bought travel options online compared to 42% purchasing films and DVDs.
  (Source: Office for National Statistics, March 2007)
• 70% of those who had shopped online did not encounter any problems. In fact, the most commonly cited problem was delivery (14%).
  (Source: Office for National Statistics, March 2007)
• UK online shoppers outspend US counterparts with the average spend totalling $2,171 compared to $1,831.
  (Source: Emarketer, June 2007)

UK online spending:

• Based on data from Office for National Statistics retail data, uSwitch predicts that the UK's online spending will further rise to £162bn by 2020, when it will make up 40% of total retail sales.

The online travel purchaser:

• 20 million UK residents serached for travel during 2007.
• On average users make 12 travel-related searches, visit 22 websites, and take 29 days before making a purchase. 45% of transactions occur over 4 weeks from first search. People visit the site they eventually buy from 2.5 times and almost 50% use a generic/destination term when they first search.