Online bookings: more than half abandon due to digital barriers
Research conducted by Civey for Accessiway shows that technical problems, unsearchable websites and complicated purchasing processes continue to seriously hamper online travel sales.
According to the research findings, the problem is more pronounced than many would expect. It concerns the booking of flights, train tickets and accommodation, and users cite failed payments, unreadable pages and complicated elements of the booking process as the main obstacles.
The most common reasons for cancelling a booking
The biggest single problem in this case is not the price, but payment. This is an important signal for all service providers investing in their own booking engine systems, direct bookings and digital marketing. If the purchase process falls apart at the very end, the entire sales pipeline becomes less efficient.
Young users are even less tolerant of digital barriers.
This is an important counterpoint to the common assumption that digital barriers are primarily a problem for older users. Research suggests that younger, digitally savvy groups simply have less patience for poorly designed or technically unreliable booking processes.
What does that mean for tourist distribution?
For hotels, airlines, rail carriers, tour operators and travel agencies, these data carry a very practical message. It is not enough to bring the user to the site. It is equally important that the booking process be clear, fast, responsive and reliable at every step, especially on mobile devices.
Companies investing in direct sales should regularly test the entire booking flow, from date and rate selection to payment and reservation confirmation. Otherwise, they risk increase in marketing costs without adequate conversion growth.
Digital accessibility plays an important role.
For the tourism sector, this means that accessibility is no longer just part of the user experience or conversion optimisation. It is increasingly a regulatory issue, especially in markets where rules are enforced more strictly.
Germany is no exception. Directive (EU) 2019/882, known as European Accessibility Act, From 28 June 2025, it sets accessibility requirements for certain products and services in the EU, including e-commerce and specific passenger transport services. For the tourism sector, this means that certain online booking systems must also be accessible to users with disabilities.
Cross-border sales are also important. A company headquartered outside the EU that provides services to consumers in the Union market covered by accessibility rules may be subject to the relevant national requirements. For hotels, agencies and travel-tech providers, this is an additional reason to check readability, keyboard control, support for assistive technologies and ease of payment when developing booking engine systems. The regulations also provide for exceptions, for example for certain micro-enterprises, as well as transitional rules.
What should companies pay attention to?
Check that payment works reliably on all devices and card methods.
Test how the booking process looks and functions on smartphones.
Reduce the number of steps, simplify the forms and avoid unnecessary distractions.
Check readability, keyboard navigation and compatibility with screen readers.
The research relates to the German market and cannot be automatically applied to Croatia or the rest of the region. Nevertheless, the message is clear: digital barriers are not a minor detail but a real source of lost bookings and additional costs in online distribution.
Methodology note: The survey was conducted by Civey for Accessiway among 2,500 adults in Germany. The 52.1 per cent figure refers to respondents who said they had already given up on online travel bookings because of digital barriers, rather than to the total share of all online bookings that fail.
Sources Accessiway / Civey;
