Nielsen//NetRatings reveals that traffic to top online travel sites spiked in January 2002, posting double-digit growth since September 2001. Traffic to Expedia jumped 14% since September, with nearly
10.2 million visitors in January 2002, capturing the No. 1 ranking by unique audience. Following closely at No.2, Travelocity drew more than 9.4 million unique visitors, soaring 43%. Orbitz attracted
nearly seven million visitors, rising 72%. Rounding out the list, Southwest Airlines recorded a 17% growth to more than 5.2 million visitors, while American Airlines posted a 20% increase to 4.5
million. "The events of September 11 greatly affected the online travel category, as traffic to travel sites dropped initially," said Lisa Strand, director and chief analyst at NetRatings. "Promotions
and special sales helped the recovery, which was especially noteworthy in January, after the holidays."
