Survey finds that one in two Smartphone owners use their Smartphone to prep for a trip. Furthermore, the survey found that 57 percent of smartphone owners who vacation are using their smartphones to help prepare for a vacation, from research to booking flights and accommodations.
SAN FRANSISCO, CALIFORNIA and BARCELONA, SPAIN – Switchfly, Inc., the technology company powering travel commerce and loyalty point redemption solutions for the world’s most celebrated brands, announced from Mobile World Congress the findings of its Q1 2015 Trend Report on The Mobile Experience and Travel. Switchfly commissioned the research to determine consumer sentiment about booking and managing travel on a mobile device. The survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Switchfly in early February 2015 among 2,015 American adults aged 18+, of whom 1,192 (67 percent) own and use a smartphone. The survey found that more than half (52 percent) of smartphone owners would book travel on their smartphone and 46 percent of smartphone owners would book an impulse vacation based on a push notification or mobile alert they received on their smartphone.
Furthermore, the survey found that 57 percent of smartphone owners who vacation are using their smartphones to help prepare for a vacation, from research to booking flights and accommodations. The most common reason they use a smartphone to plan a vacation is to research travel destinations (32 percent). More than one-fourth, or 27 percent, use a smartphone to store boarding passes/confirmation emails. Additionally, almost one in five use smartphones to book accommodations (18 percent) and flights (17 percent).
“By the end of the decade, 6 billion smart phones will be in use. Mobile will be the primary point of access to web and is closing in on TV for number of minutes used per day. It is becoming our primary computing platform. The Travel Gold Rush starts with the mobile UX,” said Daniel Farrar, CEO, Switchfly.
“Smartphones promote real-time participation and living-in-the-moment for their owners. We are able to take part in events and share reactions and ideas with others instantly. We are using smartphones daily to share important experiences, create social bonds and engage with brands. As our trend report shows, this is a huge opportunity for the travel industry.”
Smartphone and Travel Booking Trends
46 percent of smartphone owners would book an impulse vacation based on any push notification or mobile alert received on their phone stated that they would book a trip if:
- It’s an amazing deal on a hotel and flight (31 percent)
- It’s perfect timing – they were already looking for a vacation (24 percent)
- It’s an all-inclusive deal (20 percent)
- They have a group of friends willing to go with them (15 percent)
- The destination is somewhere they’ve never been before (14 percent)
- They’re feeling spontaneous (14 percent).
Additionally, smartphone owners have ever used their phones to book a hotel (21 percent); tickets for a concert, show, or sporting event (21 percent); air travel (13 percent); car rental (8 percent); car service (7 percent); and cruise (35 percent).
Nearly half of smartphone owners between ages 18 and 34 (48 percent) compared to only 14 percent of those 65 and older have ever used their smartphones to book anything. Further highlighting the younger generation’s acceptance of mobile travel planning and booking, those between the ages of 18 and 34 were more likely to book an impulse vacation based on push notification or mobile alert received on their phone (59 percent) than those 65 and older (27 percent).
Most Important Features When Booking Travel on Smartphones
52 percent of smartphone owners stated that they would book travel on their smartphones. Smartphone owners stated that the most important features when booking travel on their smartphone included:
- Security connection and payment systems (32 percent)
- User friendly website (31 percent)
- Price comparison tool (28 percent)
- The website is designed for mobile use (21 percent)
- Hotel/restaurant recommendation/ratings (18 percent)
- Easy-to-use seat selection (18 percent)
- Issues mobile boarding passes (13 percent)
- Booking through the app, not a mobile site (10 percent)
- Integration with other apps, profiles or programs (8 percent).
Of those who said they would book travel on a smartphone, secure connections and payment systems are important to more women than men (69 percent and 54 percent), and more women than men said a user-friendly website is important to them (65 percent and 56 percent). Additionally, 58 percent of women compared to 50 percent of men said price comparison tool is one of the most important features when booking travel on their smartphone.
Most Used Mobile Apps and Functions When Traveling
Map apps are most used by smartphone owners when traveling (45 percent) followed by social networking apps (42 percent), game apps (25 percent), news apps (20 percent), traveler recommendation apps (18 percent), airline apps (17 percent), texting apps (16 percent), hotel apps (13 percent), hotel check-in (9 percent), sports apps (9 percent), translation apps (9 percent), car or transportation service apps (8 percent), dating apps (4 percent) and keyless entry to a hotel room (2 percent). More men than women use sports apps (15 percent and 3 percent) and transportation apps (11 percent and 5 percent).
Consumer’s Biggest Concerns When Traveling with Smartphones
- Smartphone owners’ biggest concerns when traveling with their smartphones included:
- Having it stolen or lost (48 percent)
- Forgetting a charger (44 percent)
- Getting charged for roaming (36 percent)
- Not being able to find WiFi, free or paid (34 percent)
- Paying extra international fees (27 percent)
- Forgetting an electrical outlet adapter (22 percent)
Those between ages 18 and 34 were more concerned than those 65 and older about having their phone stolen or lost (54 percent and 41 percent), forgetting a charger (49 percent and 39 percent), getting charged for roaming (39 percent and 28 percent), not being able to find WiFi, free or paid (42 percent and 30 percent), paying extra international fees (39 percent and 18 percent), and forgetting an electrical outlet adapter (28 percent and 15 percent).
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
