Tablet usage is driving mobile travel bookings, says a survey by Expedia and Comscore

The rapid adoption of iPads and other tablets is speeding up the growth in travel bookings on mobile devices, opening up a fresh market for mobile advertising, according to a new survey. Expedia Media Solutions, the advertising unit of the global online travel agency, commissioned comScore, a digital usage survey firm, to conduct a study (opens as a PDF) on mobile advertising. The study estimates that 61% of tablet owners made a travel purchase on their device in the first half of the year. Some key points, according to the study's authors:

It's not too late to infiltrate mobile and become a vertical leader in a growing sector.
No other medium lets you reach potential customers at scale at the precise moment they're most open to travel content. More than one-third of mobile device owners are already using their gadgets to plan trips while on the go.
Apps are best for incremental reach and driving brand engagement.
Multi-device ownership poses a challenge for brands looking for a cohesive voice across platforms.

The study claims that nearly half of respondents (48%) have used a tablet or smartphone to plan their trip this year so far. Among travellers who own a mobile device, 61% have made a purchase (usually related to hotel bookings or air travel) on a tablet in the last six months while 51% have made a purchase on a smartphone, giving larger touchscreen devices an edge.

Deals and promotions (64%), photos (55%) and recommendations (38%) were the favourite types of content. Expedia led in popularity for its apps for smartphone and tablet because of "ease of use" and "familiar interface" across platforms. (Note: Study was funded by Expedia.)

While Delta Air Lines' Fly Delta app clearly had a lead in popularity with users in terms of "minutes used," according to comScore Media Metrix June 2012 results.