Hotel Booking Conversions Increased: In-Trend Travel Portals To Go For Mobile Apps

The way travel is being consumed by the users is changing heavily. You can see changes in the way bookings are being done. A pattern is being observed specifically in the hotel bookings. It’s been seen that most users are engaged better on mobile apps as against the travel website, which is also a reason why travel apps are gaining more conversions for hotel bookings. Cleartrip recently reported that close to 60% of their total traffic came from mobile apps. In fact, the mobile app has had over nine million downloads since its inception in 2012. As of now there is little to no competition in the mobile segment, so the travel apps are experiencing better conversions and engagement! They are definitely growing in terms of user base and profitability with the mobile apps, as people find it convenient to book hotels on mobile as against the websites. Another reason for increasing hotel bookings on travel apps can be attributed to the offers that are being given on the mobile platform. Makemytrip recently saw a 50% growth in the domestic hotel transactions through the mobile apps. In fact, the app saw close to 12 Mn downloads since its inception.

Hotel Bookings On Mobile Apps

In a recent report from Google India, the online hotel booking market would grow to $1.8 Bn by 2016. This is indeed a big news for the domestic hotel industry. Currently, the online hotel booking industry is quite small, but it is ready for the boom stated by Google. As of now, only 10% of the total hotel bookings happen online, and most of the major online travel agents have already occupied a good market share in this online booking segment. The flight booking trends beat the hotel booking trends by a huge percentage.

There is an obvious reason for the reduced turnover in hotel bookings. There are fewer hotel chains as compared to independent hotel properties, and for consumers to trust the individual properties and actually book them it takes time. Earlier, bookings online happened through websites which required broadband, but today the users have their 2G, 3G and even 4G connection which helps them connect to the booking engines easily, and book their travel conveniently.

In the past, booking hotels meant either visiting the hotels physically after arrival, or based on references. What works for someone, may or may not work for another person. This could lead to dissatisfied travel experience. With virtual experience gaining weight, you can book hotels that suit your travel needs, and gain a good travel experience.

With online travel agencies like Makemytrip and Goibibo or even Cleartrip, you can choose from the undeniably large collection of hotels that have been segregated into different price zones. You can pre-book your hotel, or go for the last minute booking with these travel apps. You will get good deals as well as the best hotels in your budget with these apps. This is the strategy they had to adopt and indulged into travel mobile app development considering marketing strategy.

There are apps that offer reviews on the hotels from other users. These are personal reviews, which can be relied upon as they are the result of their experience with the hotel. You can always count on these reviews, and book the hotel accordingly. So, the references that were part of your real life are now part of your virtual life. Your references will be genuine, but not the ones who you know.

Travel Portals: The Growth

Travel portal indeed offers to be a boon to the end users with its convenience and better offers. You are more engaged on the travel portals and the travel apps as they give you all information at a click. From bookings to tracking to cancellation, you can perform the different tasks while on the go with the travel apps. These apps offer you to perform different booking related actions while on the go. In fact, most of the users for the portals are being received from the mobile apps, which is also a major reason for the growth and popularity of travel apps.

With time, most travel agents might start going in for the mobile-only approach. Of course, this will happen only after the hotel booking penetration improves further. Will mobile-only approach be best for the travel industry or not, is something that only time will tell.