Travellers are moving beyond using their mobile devices for trip planning and inspiration, to now also making bookings on the go, according to Expedia.
Travellers in particular Asian countries are showing high willingness to make bookings on mobile, with India, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in the top five, a recent study conducted by Northstar Research Partners on behalf of Expedia found.
In Thailand for example, of the 600 respondents surveyed, 67% said that they are extremely likely to book their flight tickets on a mobile device, 18% are somewhat likely and 15% least or not likely to do so.
When it comes to hotel bookings, 70% of the respondents indicated that they are likely to book their hotel using a mobile device, 18% are somewhat likely and 12% least or not likely to do so.
Moreover, Expedia said that approximately one in three global hotel room nights are booked via mobile. More than 50% of global traffic on Expedia Group sites are via mobile devices.
Expedia also cited new market research by AppsFlyer that showed that mobile users in Asia-Pacific will account for 50% of global app installs by 2020 – three times more than in any other region.
While growth is forecasted to gradually decrease as the market matures, Expedia expects it will be sustained by “substantial increment in media costs and mobile usage, as well as the overall number of paid campaigns, apps available, and mobile users”.
“The mobile booking findings from the study is an indication that our travellers are looking for speed, travel choices and mobile savings when they plan and book for travel. We continue to work on the areas that need improvement to knock down the barriers to travel,” said Lavinia Rajaram, APAC head of communications, Brand Expedia.
