Over the past few months though, a slew of online travel agencies have rolled out tablet applications and sites with the goal of making the booking experience simpler and more intuitive than it might be on a smartphone.
As mobile bookings increasingly become more sophisticated, online travel agencies such as Priceline, Hotwire and HotelTonight are beginning to invest more heavily in tablets to keep up with research-focused consumers.
Although tablets are still relatively new to marketers, online travel agencies seem to be one of the industries capitalizing the most on the device’s bigger sizes. At the same time, tablets also play a critical role in connecting all of the different screens that consumers use to make travel plans.
“We have yet to see if tablets will replace mobile users,” said Leslie Cafferty, spokeswoman for Priceline, Norwalk, CT. “We have a lot of customers going between screens and toggling between desktop, mobile and tablet,” she said. “The ability to get hyperlocal in what they’re doing is key.”
The talk around mobile bookings for online travel agents until recently has revolved around cementing last-minute bookings. Traditionally, this has meant that smartphones played a prominent role in online travel brands’ mobile strategies.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
