Connected travellers are a largely untapped market, according to a research report from BuzzCity.
A survey conducted by the international marketing network demonstrates an array of opportunities for service providers to invest in developing mobile solutions for travellers.
Mobile phones are considered by 60% of surveyed South Africans to be the highest priority item when leaving the house, and are used for a wide variety of activities while on the road, from researching routes (17% of travellers) and public transport schedules (7%), to last-minute reservations and searching for local attractions, amenities and tourist information (25%).
During daily travel, 65% of commuters check their e-mails, while 69% listen to music, watch videos, or interact with friends on e-mail, Twitter and Facebook.
"Our research paints a picture of a constantly connected traveller," says Dr KF Lai, CEO of BuzzCity. "This strong consumer reliance on mobile presents significant potential for travel service providers when consumers are on the move - either for work or pleasure."
The key findings of the report (available as an infographic) show that mobile is well established for Internet browsing, with 84% of respondents indicating that mobiles are their first device of choice, compared to 16% who prefer PCs.
The BuzzCity report identifies multiple opportunities for service providers. Less than 20% of respondents still prefer to pay by card rather than over mobile, but only 27% actually use their mobiles to book or pay for their travel. This indicates an opportunity for service providers to maintain and encourage consumer confidence in mobile commerce by making mobile payments more convenient.
There are also opportunities to provide innovative local content or solutions to address travel challenges such as parking, airport security and visa applications. Free WiFi in hotels, caf'es and restaurants is in high demand, with 35% of respondents indicating they would appreciate such a service.
Meeting mobile needs can start small, says Lai. "Companies can take simple steps like optimising their Web sites for mobile, ensuring strong WiFi connections and making mobile transactions as straightforward as possible to meet consumer demand and provide a more mobile-friendly travel experience."
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