We’re living in a mobile-first world, where 85 percent of travelers worldwide are also smartphone users – and 32 percent also use their mobile devices to book travel. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the use of mobile devices travel shopping and booking continues to rise.

This easy-to-access technology is creating changes in buying habits and customer expectations: Even though mobile wallets and mobile payments are still fairly new, recent research says that 18 percent of smartphone users already use their devices to pay for things they buy.

Within the hospitality space, a recent survey found that over half of travelers said they would prefer to check into hotels using a mobile app. Also, according to a Deloitte study, 13 percent of hotel guests already use mobile payments to pay for their hotel bills.

Our recent webinar “Digital Marketing and Mobile Trends Impacting the Travel Industry” examined how mobile technology gives hoteliers unique opportunities to reach guests with offers and information they’re more likely to act on.

Hoteliers can use mobile apps to generate additional revenue and enhance the guest experience. It’s a win every time a booking is made, but the benefits to hoteliers don’t have to end there. You can build a stronger rapport with guests and even increase revenue by keeping in touch with your customers through apps that they’re using during their travel journey.

After all, 71 percent of travelers use mobile devices to check their itineraries, and 59 percent of them would prefer to do so via a mobile app. This tendency gives hoteliers a great opportunity to send their guests personalized messages, promote additional offers and services and increase conversions.

In this webinar, we examined changing traveler expectations as well as considerations for hoteliers who are seeking to optimize their mobile presence, including facts from recent research into Millennial travelers and a discussion of the benefits and limitations of branded hotel apps.

In today’s world, hoteliers should evolve at the same pace as the technology their guests use. As travelers adopt new technology, they expect the brands they work with to do likewise. Hoteliers who meet these expectations are more likely to have happy, loyal guests.

View the recorded webinar here and find out how your hotel can benefit from these emerging trends in mobile technology.