The popularity of mobile communication in recent years has brought about significant changes in any field of e-trade. Sales and booking transactions made through mobile devices have been increasing by each passing year. Therefore, more companies are making their websites mobile-compatible to access the customers through the Internet.
Online travel agencies have been getting mobile-compatible for a while. Most of them have now become aware of the fact that mobile devices will shape their future. Although this is concluded in every part of the world, the most interesting examples come from the Asian market.
As HotelRunner, we have examined this mobile trend going on the in the online agencies in Asia.
2 of every 5 bookings come from mobile devices
The online travel agency Ctrip, which operates in China, has announced that 2 of every 5 bookings are made through mobile devices. Ctrip’s mobile application has been downloaded by over 50 million users since January 2013 and it offers 280 thousand hotels across the world, which shows that almost half of the bookings for this company are made through mobile devices.
Expedia steps into action
Expedia is another online agency aware of the fact that being mobile-compatible is much more crucial than being online only. Stepping into action to increase its share in the Chinese market, Expedia has acquired eLong, an online travel agency where 10 percent of bookings are made through mobile devices. Besides, according to what is stated by the company officials, this rate has been increasing each quarter by 5 percent.
Travel.jp and Hotel.jp have also become mobile-compatible
The case is similar for Japan. Venture Republic acquired Travel.jp and Hotel.jp, the online agencies which tripled the number of bookings it realised compared with the previous year.
The above-mentioned examples clearly show how important mobile devices are for the travel industry. Even though these examples are limited to Asian counties, it is evident that the online travel agencies across the world have started becoming mobile-compatible. . If you plan to carry your agency to the Internet, it is a must for you to have an infrastructure and a design that is fully compatible with smartphones and tablets. HotelRunner is an advanced platform which provides you with the infrastructure and design support necessary for you to establish your online travel agency. Create your HotelRunner account to see what HotelRunner offers utilizing advanced features and peerless support and increase your sales immediately.
