• Forbes, Wednesday, February 22, 2012 10:08 AM

Has the struggling economy and the popularity of daily-deal sites like Groupon and Living Social given rise to a new breed of consumers who put a premium on price over brand? In some cases, yes. Recent research by HawkPartners on hotel channel usage found that 65% of travelers who booked a recent stay used online review sites, such as TripAdvisor, to select their hotel rather than rely on advertising. Seventy-four percent of the 1,200 travelers surveyed said that advertising (defined as TV and print) had no impact on their selection.

When asked to comment about which channels had the most influence on hotel selection, travelers responded with promotions (Groupon, Living Social, reward sites) and social media ranking highest, with advertising coming in a distant fourth.

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