Rise in smartphone use for travel-related tasks

Travel marketers need to ensure information on their websites is also available in a format compatible with smartphones, according to new research undertaken by travel marketing firm Ypartnership and Harrison Group.

by Helen Leggatt

Three in 10 mobile phones in use in the U.S. are Internet-enabled smartphones. Almost one in five (19%) of those smartphone users have downloaded a travel-related application, according to the Ypartnership/Harrison Group survey of 2,524 households in the U.S. with annual incomes of $50,000 or more.

Mobile devices are destined to play an even larger role in the sale of travel services in years to come and travel marketers can't rely on their existing website format to get information to consumers.

"You've got to have your information available in a format that works easily and quickly with smartphones," siad Scott Myers, a Ypartnership partner.

Travel apps are a particularly efficient and easy way to get information in front of consumers.

Many smartphone users are already using their smartphones and apps for a variety of travel-related tasks:

- 47% used GPS functionality to find their way to a destination

- 46% searched for flight updates

- 29% compared airfares or hotel rates

- 18% booked air travel or lodging

- 15% viewed virtual visitor guides

- 11% downloaded and/or redeemed coupons.

Tags: apps, smartphone, travel marketing, travel services