Hotel News Resource - EyeforTravel Hotel Industry News

According to a recent Google whitepaper, the number of mobile users researching travel via their mobile devices is expected to grow 51% in 2012. The case is equally compelling for mobile booking in APAC, with more than 15% of travellers projected to book travel products and service by 2013.

Travel is one of those few and lucky verticals that is so broad and engaging that it actually works on various screens – but travel content and service providers need to be thoughtful about what to optimize for each screen and what to carry through to all to convey a consistent and integrated experience and message, says Katherine Bose, Director, Mobile Partnerships, Americas, TripAdvisor.

IN-DEPTH: With TripAdvisor becoming less dominant/ reliable, brands are beginning to regain some lost influence and the correct management of both mobile and mapping technology will be key to increasing any brand’s online reputation, says James Harrower, search marketing manager, International at Hilton Worldwide.

EyeforTravel research has found that 48% of hotel companies and a 62% of airlines plan to increase their budget for mobile in 2012.

The travel industry has seen the emergence of new platforms tailor-made for selling distressed inventory. These channels promise to safeguard brands and their price integrity while exposing hotels to an attractive audience of smartphone owners. EyeforTravel spoke to Sam Shank, CEO of mobile hotel bookings specialist HotelTonight about meeting the expectations of this target audience.

The travel industry is growing globally but the geographical, socio-economic and technological balances are shifting. The Internet continues to be ascendant and disruptive in its ability to change the way the travel industry and its consumers operate.

IN-DEPTH: Budget planning should be built around supporting initiatives, campaigns and applications that provide users beneficial information, help achieve business goals and are interesting enough that people will want to engage, says Jennifer Stafford, Social Media Manager, HomeAway.com.

IN-DEPTH: Social, local, and mobile are lending a new dimension to plans of travel marketers. To get started, travel brands must have a mobile website optimised with fresh, local content and location-based offers; accurate and optimised listings on local mobile directories; and mobile engagement via SMS and social platforms.

In order to leverage the combination of location, activity, demographic and time targeting, Lucas Cobb, director, Mobile Product Development, MMG Worldwide believes the key to any successful strategy addressing these elements has to be formed with delivering contextual relevance as the guiding objective.

Commenting on how hoteliers need to look beyond the tricks and quick fixes and instead focus on dynamic rate optimisation for pricing strategy, Jean Francois Mourier, RevPar Guru says one aspect of the same is dynamic pricing, which is essential.