Tourism is one of world’s most competitive and largest sectors of the economy and another of the industries disrupted by fast evolving technology. People now have a personal travel agent at their fingertips – available anywhere, anytime. You guessed right, it’s the mobile device – either a smartphone or a tablet.
Travel-app market grows bigger and bigger
There’s already an overwhelming flood of travel apps available – just check out, for example – Apple App Store’s Travel category, promising to help travelers to more effectively plan, manage and accomplish a trip.
The secret of all successful apps – travel-specific ones included – is (1) high quality content, (2) being significantly different from competitors and (3) truly add value for the user. And the aim of any app publisher is not only to encourage users to download the app, but also to generate long-term and sustained usage of the product. Basically, it’s all about making users smartphones smarter.
We know, easy to say, but pretty damn hard to accomplish in today’s crowded app market – you might add. And you would be right, but hey – if it isn’t challenging, why do it in the first place? The easy mindset never led anyone to extraordinary results.
Travel apps are based around navigation – just think of Google Maps, destination, hotel, location based service, itinerary management, booking, travel management, pretty everything imaginable related to travel. It’s a huge and diversified ecosystem.
Travel market opportunities for app developers
The travel app is the latest and smartest apparatus for business/leisure travelers and globe-trotters. All you’ve got to do as a passenger is choosing the most useful travel apps, and you’ll have the most pleasant journey possible. At least, that’s what travel app developers and publishers promise.
Let’s see a brief overview of the key travel market opportunities for all involved: tourism companies, app developers and, of course – travelers. These opportunities were highlighted by a BI Intelligence report on the market for mobile travel services, released summer 2013. We added our own examples and remarks on the subject, making it all (we hope) particularly interesting for all the game players mentioned above.
(1) Travel is a huge industry, still blooming
Tourism is one of the world largest businesses, not showing any signs of decreasing in spread anytime soon. People will never stop planning for vacations or traveling for business purposes; they won’t surely throw away their smartphones for many years to come.
And who doesn’t want the travel stress reduces through a good app choice? You got it, big industry – as big the business opportunity.
(2) Online travel is progressively going online
What’s the most indispensable travel accessory these days? Okay, let’s say the suitcase, but the smartphone comes right after. Most of today’s travelers find it hard to get anywhere without the help of travel apps.
Because it’s worth to check them out, here are just some of this year’s most successful travel apps, helping people plan, book, navigate, explore, communicate or document their trips: FlightTrack, WeatherPro, Packing Pro, Skyscanner, WorldMate, Hailo, Waze, Foodspotting, Google Goggles, Better Translator Pro, Lost in Translation, Trip Journal.
(3) Mobile travelers form an attractive audience for advertisers
Today’s travelers demand high-quality connectivity and mobility. They are constantly using their smartphones and tablets. They reach out to those brands delivering the useful and fun technology they require for stellar traveling.
We believe travel companies should really investigate this mobile app landscape and decide accordingly; also, to us – this seems like a fun and potentially high profitable playground for talented app developers.
To travelers, we say this: don’t forget the phone at home; and take the hassle out of voyaging, pack some mobile apps.
Do you want to discuss more on the subject? We’re here, almost all the time.
