The Growing Role of Mobile in Travel Booking
Recent studies have focused on smartphone usage and purchasing behavior in the travel sector. The results show a significant increase not only in using mobile phones to find local information but also to book and purchase travel services.
Data indicate that customers increasingly perceive hotel bookings via mobile as safe and reliable, which in turn increases the need for hotels to have a mobile-friendly website equipped with a booking engine.
An analysis conducted by Sabre Travel Network on over 800 business travelers who travel up to seven times a year highlights how mobile has become central to their travel experience:
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2/3 of respondents want the ability to search for and book hotels via mobile
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63% want to receive destination-related offers from local businesses (+85% compared to two years ago)
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72% want the ability to view the hotel on a map
Business travelers have shown high expectations in this regard and hope that mobile services will continue to expand, enhancing their stay in various contexts—from airports to hotels.
A survey conducted by InsightExpress for Mojiva shows that 64% of users are willing to book travel services via mobile, spending between $200 and $500.
Clearly, users feel increasingly comfortable purchasing via mobile, especially in anticipation of summer vacations: unsurprisingly, over 79% of respondents stated that they travel primarily during this period.
The data also confirm that booking windows are shrinking:
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30% of respondents usually book within a week or last minute
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43% book at most a month in advance
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Only 27% plan well in advance
It is clear that a turning point has been reached in this sector. Hotels that want to remain competitive need to:
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Create a high-quality mobile website with a booking engine for direct reservations
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Launch targeted marketing campaigns for the mobile channel, including activities such as mobile PPC, SMS campaigns, and QR code usage.
