TRAVELLERS MOBILE SAVVY

Travellers having Internet access are increasingly using smartphones and tablets to get information about tourist destinations and make payments online, says a Goolge study. Of more than 1,500 travellers surveyed, 87 per cent said they used smartphones to research their trips and 66 per cent respondents said they booked a trip element on it, the study 'Multi-screen Traveller' said. About 60 per cent respondents said information they find while researching on smartphones influences their booking decision, it said. The study revealed that 76 per cent users use both computers and mobile devices across various travel stages such as researching and booking. Moreover, the biggest trigger for holiday planning are online pictures. Browsing pictures on social networks, blogs, travel sites get users to start thinking of their next vacation destination, it said. Indian travel planner goes through a variety of resources around destination research, like browsing through pictures on social networks (74 per cent), reading trip information on travel sites & apps (56 per cent) and watching videos about destinations (52 per cent), the study said.
Speaking on the findings of the study, Google India Director (Travel & BFSI) Vikas Agnihotri said, "Over one-third of travel related search queries on Google India are now coming from mobile and tablet devices, with queries from smartphones growing at 397 per cent YoY." The study highlights the opportunity for application makers to develop content which could help users to take quick and better informed decisions on their holidays, he said. Respondents highlighted the convenience and preference for mobile applications over using mobile browsers for booking their trip and sharing information on the trip, he said. Smartphones and tablets are also actively used for sharing experiences through social networks, the study said. "74 per cent respondents said they shared or posted on their social network and 46 per cent respondents re-scheduled a trip element using the phone," it said.