Australia is no exception when it comes to mobile usage in the travel industry, with some 70% of Aussies now using mobile devices for their travel needs.
The study by HotelsCombined, the Australia-based hotel metasearch service, was conducted online with over 1,000 respondents.
Even at home, 60% of Australian travellers sideline their computers and use a mobile device to plan accommodation, flights and tours.
Among the people who use mobile device, 36% use it for research, 26% for planning and 25% for booking.
HotelsCombined says:
"As the quick uptake of smartphones and tablets in Australia shows no sign of slowing, people are increasingly confident planning, booking and sharing travel experiences using mobile devices."
Among the respondents who do not use mobile for travel needs, 16% report that mobile websites and apps are not as functional or informative as the web-version, and 6% are concerned about safety, and 13% of respondents say they haven’t ever considered it.
36% of respondents claimed to plan their travel a few months before their trip, 30% plan a few weeks before their trip, and 7% respondents plan a few days before.
Besides using a mobile device, 81% of Aussies prefer to book accommodation through hotel booking websites, while 12% book directly with the hotel, and 7% book with a travel agent.
Over 50% of respondents spend more than an hour researching and booking accommodation alone.
And when it comes to travel inspiration, 75% Aussies cited internet search as their most likely go-to service, and a 16% of respondents use travel apps.
The focus on mobile as a core channel has increased among many leading travel companies in Asia Pacific. Companies like India's MakeMyTrip, Japan's Venture Republic, and China's Qunar, eLong and Ctrip remain bullish about mobile channel.
HotelsCombined was founded in 2005, it has more than 200 employees and more than 200 million users every year. The company searches rates for over 400,000 hotels in 120,000 destinations across the world.
NB:Australia image via Shutterstock.