More than half of consumers have used their mobile device to book a trip in the last three months. This is just one of the interesting data that JiWire has been able to obtain in a recent research. 

Other data from this new study reveal how 29% of respondents bought with their tablet, while 23% used their smartphone. In addition, 44% of them indicated that they are willing to increase the volume of travel purchases made with the mobile, even more than 500 dollars.

When looking for travel information, almost half of the users turn to their handheld device, while 56% used their laptop. The survey divides clients who are looking for information for their business trips, who are interested in knowing the advantages of joining loyalty programs, and, on the other hand, those who travel for pleasure; A sector that welcomes with special interest all kinds of offers, discounts and promotions.

For their part, respondents stressed the usefulness of mobile applications when it comes to booking their trip. Specifically, a third of these customers considered that the search engines and the mobile applications of the airlines were very important; While only 10% opted for the brand’s own search engine.

As for the demand for users to use Wi-Fi networks, 60% of JiWire registered connections were made through mobile devices, 15% more than last year; Reducing, therefore, the traffic of laptops to 40%. Making a classification according to the device, we can appreciate that the smartphone carried 38%, while the remaining 22% came in charge of the tablets. The mobile device most used by users of JiWire networks is the iPhone (32.4%), along with the iPad (31.1%).

Mobile phones become the new ‘compass’ of travel

The study “Trends in the Use of the Internet in Mobile for Travel” recently carried out by the Observatory on Travel and the Internet was also clear and revealing in this sense offering similar conclusions and results.

The largest consumption of Internet in any of the phases of travel is developed from Smartphone phones, compared to navigation in conventional terminals. In the first phase, PREPARATION, it is especially significant that 68% of travelers use it to consult maps in the terminals themselves, followed by 46% that takes the time to compare prices or find accommodations and restaurants.

The mobiles are an open channel in addition to information on everything related to travel, transfers and schedules (approximately 35% of travelers use it for that), as well as hire activities in the destination itself (22%). A curious fact is that only 9% of users use it to search for travelers at the destination. Although as a significant point, a shocking fact: 1 out of 3 travelers who use the Internet on the mobile do so to select their next destination.

By type of destinations analyzed, national trips to the beach are the ones that lend themselves more to the use of the Internet in mobile (83%), followed by rural areas (72%), urban centers (67%), (73%) and, finally, business travel (61%).

The advantages that travelers see to use the Internet in the mobile in the preparation of their trips are the possibility to consult it at any time or place (39%), speed (18%) in access to much information, comfort 12%), or you organize the trip to suit you (9%).

The main disadvantages to using the mobile in preparation are the size of the window (16%), slowness (15%), high rates (15%) or lack of adaptation of the pages (7%). Although significantly, for 37% there are no disadvantages.

The most travelers are no longer anyone without their mobiles

But there are many more reports and studies that highlight the advantages of mobile devices in tourism and travel, and the data are truly revealing. 98% of travelers use their mobile device while traveling; 80% use it throughout the trip.

The volume of transactions related to travel recorded through mobile phones could exceed US $ 8 billion in 2013 in the United States; An amount that would rise to 10 billion worldwide.

Mobile travelers are a very important target audience for brands. Business Insider reports that 32% of business travel is preferably done through mobile; In addition, users who hire their mobile travel usually have higher incomes. In addition, the mobile is a perfect tool for last minute bookings. Orbitz indicates that more than 70% of last minute bookings come via mobile.