Hotels.com reports a significant increase, upwards of 80 per cent, in 2014.
TORONTO – Booking travel “on the go” is a rapidly-growing trend in Canada and around the world with a reported one in four global transactions being booked on a mobile device across the Expedia, Inc brands. In Canada, Hotels.com reported more than 80 per cent growth in mobile bookings during 2014, according to the most recent Hotel Price Index (HPI) report.
The majority of Canadians booking on mobile devices, more than four-fifths, made reservations at two- or three-star hotels. The data also showed that Canadian travellers are using their devices for all types of bookings, whether it’s staying local, exploring Europe, backpacking in Asia or touring Latin America. Below are some of the top destinations booked by Canadians via mobile devices:
|
Most popular domestic destinations booked by Canadian |
|||
|
Rank |
Destination |
Province |
Average mobile |
|
1 |
Toronto |
ON |
$145 |
|
2 |
Edmonton |
AB |
$141 |
|
3 |
Vancouver |
BC |
$150 |
|
4 |
Montreal |
QC |
$157 |
|
5 |
Calgary |
AB |
$152 |
|
6 |
Niagara Falls |
ON |
$143 |
|
7 |
Ottawa |
ON |
$152 |
|
8 |
Quebec |
QC |
$142 |
|
9 |
Winnipeg |
MB |
$135 |
|
10 |
Banff |
ON |
$176 |
Interestingly, Edmonton was the second most popular Canadian city for mobile bookings, pushing Montreal, one of the traditional top three most popular destinations, out of the third spot. The absence of five-star properties is perhaps a contributing factor to its popularity.
|
Most popular international destinations booked by |
|||
|
Rank |
Destination |
Country |
Average mobile |
|
1 |
Las Vegas |
U.S. |
$119 |
|
2 |
New York City |
U.S. |
$270 |
|
3 |
Orlando |
U.S. |
$110 |
|
4 |
Seattle |
U.S. |
$184 |
|
5 |
Los Angeles |
U.S. |
$172 |
|
6 |
London |
UK |
$250 |
|
7 |
Boston |
U.S. |
$200 |
|
8 |
Chicago |
U.S. |
$178 |
|
9 |
San Francisco |
U.S. |
$227 |
|
10 |
Paris |
France |
$242 |
Hotels.com findings during the fourth quarter of 2014, showed more than 50 per cent of mobile bookings were for the same or next day stays which could explain why London and Paris, ranked lower among travellers booking via mobile, compared to their overall popularity ranking. The busy, and often expensive, accommodation options in each city may have encouraged more advanced planning via desktop.
Depending on destination and travel preferences, the HPI also revealed the most popular cities booked via mobile in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
- Sightseeing in Europe: Warsaw, Poland; Granada, Spain; Seville, Spain
- Backpacking in Asia: Hoi An, Vietnam; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Exploring Latin America: San Jose, Costa Rica; Panama City, Panama; Bogota, Colombia
The Hotels.com award-winning mobile apps for various devices have been downloaded more than 40 million times since their launch in 2011. With Apple Watch and other smartwatch compatibility and more than 20,000 mobile-exclusive deals, they’re a helpful resource for travellers on the go.
*All prices in Canadian Dollars.
Photo caption: Las Vegas was the most popular international destination booked by
Canadian travellers via mobile devices in 2014.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
