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Air and hotel bookings still PC-centric, not mobile

December 19, 2012 | Hotel Marketing

When it comes to mobile, the travel industry is highly focused on bookings, but research sugests that many consumers are still not ready to make large travel purchases via mobile devices, but are more likely to make in-destination travel bookings - such as attractions, activities and restaurants - through tablets or smartphones.

Travel marketers are flocking to develop mobile solutions as more and more of their customers carry around smartphones and tablets. The travel business is highly focused on mobile bookings, but research shows that many consumers are still not ready to make large travel purchases via mobile devices.

Expedia Media Solutions and comScore conducted “The Rise of Mobile: Adoption, Sentiment & Opportunity” study in August 2012, and found that more than three-quarters of US travelers had purchased travel on a PC in the past six months. On mobile devices, travelers were much more hesitant to book travel: Only 34% had booked travel through their tablet in that timeframe, and 28% had booked via smartphone.

Breaking down these purchases by travel category, the Expedia and comScore study also found that more than half of these US travelers purchased hotel reservations via laptop, while only 17% booked hotels via tablet, and 11% via smartphone. Likewise, 46% of air travelers purchased flights on their PC, but only about one in 10 used either tablets or smartphones to buy airfare in the past six months.

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