EyeForTravel recently reported on major emerging trends for the online travel space. Three are outlined below.
The mobile-only world is here (for real this time).
Mobile internet use will surpass traditional desktop in the next few years. With this, expect an increase in last-minute and same-day bookings, a rise in expectations for 'on-demand' services (many in the form of apps), and even more pressure towards social and local ways of reviewing, deciding and purchasing.
The markets and customers you serve are changing - think global:
Kathleen Bostick, Vice President of the Travel and Hospitality Practice at the global translations firm, Lionbridge, said, “The day you set up a Facebook page, you’re global whether you like it or not.” Firms that ignore this really could be missing out, she said.
Travelers from Asia and other markets are changing the way destinations and operators worldwide need to do business. Issues around language, cross-cultural marketing, and multi-lingual SEO are just a few to be considered.
The online behemoths are battling for the consumer.
As Facebook, Google and Apple lead the war for everything from travel planning and booking to transactions, thousands of other sites are getting involved in the fight. Expect new services to crop up rapidly and for consumer preferences and behaviors to follow.
For greater detail on these three trends, and to learn about Revenue Management, and the Four Cs (convergence, commerce, content, and customer behavior), read the entire article.