Is Mobile-First Engagement Vital to the Success of Modern Travel Brands?

Far beyond being ‘nice-to-have’, or something to aspire to, an effective mobile engagement strategy is now essential for any brand that wants to achieve real success in the travel industry.

Mobile communications can help you identify and nurture leads, develop strong relationships, and build your brand in the digital domains where consumers are spending the most time. The preference for mobile is particularly evident in browsing, with more than half (52.2 per cent) of all global web traffic originating from mobile devices in 2018, up from 50.3 per cent in 2017 and 43.6 per cent the previous year.

For travel businesses seeking stronger top-of-funnel engagement with customers, a mobile-first strategy increasingly looks like the best way to get results.

The Growth of Mobile in Travel

Like many industries, travel has experienced a pronounced shift in consumer preferences and habits in favour of the mobile channel in recent years. As devices become more powerful and internet connectivity improves all over the world, mobile offers a level of freedom, flexibility and immediacy that other channels can’t match.

This is evident in various regions across the globe. In the Middle East, for example, countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are home to young demographics that are steadily favouring mobile over desktop. This was one of the key trends highlighted at the Web in Travel Middle East 2019 trade show in Dubai on April 9th.

Stuart Crighton, CEO and founder of Cleartrip, a firm based in India that entered the Middle East nine years ago, said: “Middle East online travel is getting exciting. The region is undergoing a shift to mobile from desktop for search and book.”

Another business that has succeeded with a mobile-first approach is Klook, a Hong-Kong based travel activities and services booking platform. In four years, the company has become the most searched brand in its sector on Google and expanded into Australia, Europe and the US. Last year, its trip bookings on mobile devices tripled, making up more than three-quarters of total sales.

Lydia Jett, a partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, said: “We believe Klook is a leader in taking a mobile-first approach to the travel activities and services industry. The company has seen great success in scaling its business across different geographies and cultures.”

The global picture shows that improved mobile app experiences, combined with lower prices, are driving online travel bookings.

Stay in Touch

One of the most powerful advantages of the mobile channel is its ability not only to support convenient bookings and purchases, but to help you stay in contact with your customers throughout their travel experience.

The inherently mobile nature of holidays and international adventures means portable, handheld devices are ideally suited to maintain engagement with people as they move around.

One of the key themes in a 2018 report compiled by intelligence provider EyeforTravel and software firm SAP was that reaching customers via mobile as they travel is an increasingly important part of building relationships.

More than two-thirds (67 per cent) of British, French and German consumers see their smartphone as their key device while travelling, while practically all Chinese international travellers (98 per cent) reported using their smartphone while abroad.

The research also highlighted the growing importance of the mobile channel for securing last-minute bookings. Just under two-thirds (65 per cent) of respondents from all verticals said mobile lead times are much shorter or slightly shorter than desktop bookings.

Effective Communication

The international nature of the travel industry means your business also needs to have the ability to communicate effectively with customers all over the world, in various languages.

Reliable translation and localisation services are therefore hugely significant, to ensure your content is effectively tailored to achieve maximum engagement with local audiences. Powerful language that taps into the emotional, aspirational side of people’s travel choices can make a huge difference in how your brand is perceived and your long-term associations with customers.

It could be argued this has taken on an entirely new level of importance in this mobile-first age, when unlimited access to the internet and social media offers the potential for businesses to build deeper, more rewarding customer relationships than ever before.

Locaria can help your business succeed in the modern travel industry by combining the linguistic expertise of a translation agency with the ROI focus of a digital marketing agency.

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