Tomorrow Booking.com launches its Booking Now service for Apple Watch, coinciding with the launch of the device in Apple stores.
It's one of a string of travel companies that have announced services for the wearable device with theTrainline, Top10 and Sabre's TripCase also unveiling services in the past 24 hours.
Despite, a less than stunning performance from wearables so far, more on that here, Booking.com feels the Apple Watch could change all that and that its application in particular will stand out from others.
As much as Booking.com is learning as it develops the service on the device, it' could also act as a proving ground for wearables in travel to have the accommodation giant touting it wares.
The company is enabling bookings to be made directly via the app whereas for other apps, users are handed off to the smartphone.
Stuart Frisby, principal designer for the accommodation giant, says as people move increasingly towards mobile they also look to last-minute products and services.
This was the rationale for the Booking Now mobile app,launched a couple of months ago, and built on the idea of 'putting the strain' on booking's side not the consumer.
The Apple Watch app, he adds, should be seen as an extension of that.
"The way we're thinking about wearables is that it should not be a replacement for the phone. It's a companion. You don't want to browse hundreds of hotels but it's great for micro functions that apply to travel."
Frisby talks about "tangible frustrations" that happen during a hotel stay such as fumbling for your hotel keycard or finding out your checkout time and how the watch can make the stay more enjoyable.
Is this something booking.com can get involved in?
"We speak to lots of customers and figure out the places where we can add the most value. Hotels have people dedicated to this but what we can do is things to scale that individual hotels can't so that's where applications can help."
Included in its functionality is the ability for users to see and book the nearest hotel using force touch technology. Users have to have a profile set up with payment details via the mobile app first.
It also uses the Glances feature to provide information such as hotel room number (which users input) as well as turn-by-turn directions and the ability to rate the check-in experience.
The team set on this functionality based on their own hotel experiences and areas where there was cause for anxiety or not feeling in control.
On whether booking.com felt it had to develop for Apple Watch, Frisby says everything is judged on its own merit but there is a feeling that the device allows it to interact with customers differently.
"I think we're going to see some innovative things happening. Others don't reimagine what it is to interact with a service. Apple has reinvented this paradigm.
The reflection in the team is that it's something you want to use sparingly but needs to create great value."
NB: Apple Watch image via Shutterstock.