The relevance of mobile communication has significantly intensified for a person on the move. That’s why leading travel agencies are conscious of the magnitude that mobile capabilities may bring to the travel industry. And world statistics help them be in touch with the situation:
- 90% of the world population has access to mobile networks, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU);
- More than 31 billion apps downloaded to mobile devices in 2011 and consumer app downloads are predicted to gain more than 66 billion by 2016, according to Juniper Research;
- 82% of mobile users make bookings on the day of arrival, according to a Priceline study.
Without a doubt, as more and more of your clients get mobile, being a travel agent you need to become mobile, too. And there are more than enough arguments for that according to the global travel portal mydestination.com:
- 3 in 4 active travelers use a mobile device while on the move;
- 3% have booked their trip on a mobile;
- 17% have researched a trip on a mobile app or mobile website;
- 12% have downloaded a mobile travel-related app;
- 5% of apps at the Apple App Store are travel apps.
If you intend to create a reciprocal dialog with your on-the-go travelers, provide real-time travel surveys about destinations, and information about special deals directly to your customers’ mobile devices, you have to be technically equipped. The key point while getting mobile is the creation of a really useful and solicited mobile application for your travel agency. But how a mobile application can help you make the process of booking and traveling more comfortable? Here are some functional aspects an experienced mobile developer can implement in your custom mobile app:
- Booking: in this swift-flowing world customers will be grateful to you for the opportunity to save their passport information and payment method through your secure mobile application in order to book a trip or hotel online or rent a car.
- Basic information: accommodate your traveler with local information about the country (geographical location, population, language, culture, climate, and places of interest); offered hotels (photos of lodgings, prices, and testimonials); places of interest (location on the city map, schedule of excursions and their prices).
- Payment system integration: give your customers the possibility to pay for a wide range of goods and services via their smartphones instead of paying with cash, checks, or credit cards.
- City guide: add city map with tourist routes to the main sights with information about them; make available local currency rates, weather forecast, transport schedule; tell about nearby places such as restaurants, cafes, banks, shops and embassies using GPS tracking.
- Custom service: be in touch with your clients on their travel route in order to inform them on-the-spot about any changes concerning arrival and departure gates, or flight status and delays.
Thus, due to your business mobile application, you will give your clients a reason to stay with your travel agency. Just assume how globally may be changed your service amplitude when a mobile developer will help you implement all these travel-friendly options in your app.
Industries and Technology Areas:
Industries: traveling, tourism, hospitality, airlines
Technology Areas: mobile application development, tablet, iOS, iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone
