56% of Business Customers Use Mobile Technology to Search/Book Hotels

Travelport has released new research findings which show that more than half of business customers now use mobile technology when it comes to searching and booking hotels, indicating a rapid increase in the use of mobile technology in the business travel sector.
The survey, which polled over 600 corporate travel buyers, agents, and hospitality and travel professionals globally, explored hotel experiences and expectations of the modern business traveller. Remarkable response findings from the 150 respondents were:
• 80% would like to see mobile applications offering suggested restaurants and bars around the hotel location.
• 67% would like similar apps offering suggestions for recreational activities.
• 71% rank Wi-Fi as one of the most important technology solutions that should be included as standard in hotel rooms - 82% of travellers expecting this service to be in all rooms within five years.
• 54% wanted more transparency and choice when it comes to charges for optional extras.
• Many in the poll commented that they should only have to pay for the services they really want or use when travelling for business.
• There was limited appeal for mobile apps which could record TV channels remotely or convenience solutions like the ability to adjust the temperature of the room when away.
Niklas Andréen, global vice president of hospitality and partner marketing at Travelport said, “At a time when there is increased focus on hospitality innovations as demonstrated at the recent ITB Berlin Exchibition through the dedication of an entire day to the sector, these results affirm the importance of understanding what our business customers want as well as identifying where there is opportunity to add value. The responses seem to indicate that hotel rooms are no longer a place of rest but an extension of the office when travelling for business and as such it is important to move with the times and provide these services in a way that travellers want and expect.”
(Source Asian Travel News)

Traveling with friends

Travel industry is increasingly witnessing the launch of sites and applications, which are meant for helping travellers to make new friends who are either travelling on the same flight or going to the same holiday destination.

Over the last seven days or so, two new ventures have emerged. A new social media site, www.hangoutonholiday.com, emerged last week. This venture has been set up by Paul Stanyer, founder and former CEO of Internet transfer company Holiday Taxis. The new site has been created to allow those going on holiday to search for and interact with others going to the same place at the same time, before they travel.

Those that haven’t yet decided where to travel can still register on the site and are placed in the Departure Lounge with others in the same boat. Once they have booked it takes seconds to update their details. An online diary system allows members to see what is happening in their resort at the time they are staying as well as providing access to a range of benefits including discounted club tickets and the latest resort news.

The site currently features 40 resorts. The site will be tailored for user groups such as skiers, festival goers, and surfers etc. to enable easy access to like-minded travellers.

Stanyer said that, “This is not trying to copy Facebook, that’s impossible, but whereas Facebook is for those you already know, `Hang Out’ is for those you ought to know.”

In another development, a new Facebook application, Find a Flight Buddy, has been released enabling users to connect on flights.

The app is intended to help people to meet up with like-minded travellers on the way to an event, business conference or to find somebody to talk with during long waiting hours. After the addition of the application on Facebook, users are asked to enter their flight number and the time of departure; users then select their preferred type of travel buddy; on the next page one can choose from their matches and can then contact nearby travellers directly. A user’s flight buddy details will also allow people to find him or her through the app although one’s personal details will not be shared with others. 

(Source: eyefortravel.com)

Leading Markets at Berlin's Tourism Exhibition

Adventure tours and eco-tourism are among the fastest growing markets in the tourism sector, a trend accurately mirrored by events at ITB Berlin.

In the Trends & Events Hall (4.1) a total of 123 tour operators, tourism boards and organisations representing 31 countries are presenting their latest Adventure Eco, Youth Travel and Economy Accommodation products, with information on expeditions, diving holidays and nature tours, as well as sustainable tourism.

Numerous international exhibitors can be found in the Adventure Eco section in particular, among them Tourism for Peace Jenin & Gilboa, a tourism project from Israel and the Palestinian territories.

SHARKPROJECT

On March 11th, for the first time at the world’s leading travel trade show, a Shark Day organised by SHARKPROJECT will be taking place at ITB Berlin 2011, sponsored by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit.

According to a survey by the North Atlantic Dalhousie University in Halifax, over the past six years the number of deep sea sharks has fallen by 80 per cent.

At a podium discussion representatives of international tourism organisations as well as the celebrity figure and actor Hannes Jaenicke, who for years has been championing wildlife conservation, will discuss Marine biodiversity, sharks and tourism – which is the aggressor?

Next weekend at ITB, visitors will also be able to see the MS Haitanic exhibition and the film entitled Hannes Jaenicke im Einsatz für Haie.

(Source Breaking Travel News)

Dinning in style when you flying!

In order to control their costs many Airlines have been rudely attacked the meals served to passengers. Maybe this could sound like a cost effective idea but had affected consumers preference into the long run.

Flight search engine Skyscanner has released a list of the top 10 airlines for in-flight meals - and not one Australian or US airline made the cut.

So which airline should you pick if you want a tasty mid-air treat?

Emirates came out on top in the survey, with the eastern flavour also proving to be popular with six of the top 10 airlines based in the Middle East and Asia.

Four European airlines made the grade, with Lufthansa coming second and Russian carrier Aeroflot scoring fourth place.

“Emirates is passionate about providing great in-flight cuisine and we see it as a crucial part of our product offering. Individual menus are carefully planned for each route we serve to ensure we cater for the diverse cultures and preferences of our international customers,” Robin Padgett, Emirates' Vice President - Aircraft Catering, said.

More than 1200 people were asked to rate their in-flight meals based on taste, presentation and choice.

An overall calculation was then made for each of the 35 airlines featured in the survey.

Skyscanner Director Barry Smith said that airlines are placing more importance on the quality of food they serve.

"Although there are some notable exceptions, airlines are making huge efforts to provide good-quality meals, with many even appointing celebrity chefs as consultants," Mr Smith said.

“It is interesting to see these Middle Eastern and Asian airlines ranking so highly.

"Airline food is notorious for being bland and perhaps it is the use of these strong eastern flavours and spices that is contributing to their popularity. Possibly it’s also because exotic flavours get people in a holiday mood.”

The top ten highest scoring airlines were:

1. Emirates

2. Lufthansa

3. Singapore Airlines

4. Aeroflot

5. Qatar

6. Malaysia Airlines

7. Thai Airways

8. Etihad

9. KLM

10. Air France

(Source Travelnews.com)

More growth to Travel Revenue in 2011

Great news for travel industry!!! According to the Asian Travel News the hotel industry continued to recover in January 2011 with strong growth in both global hotel revenue and bookings, according to data from Pegasus Solutions’ The Pegasus View.
Driven by demand and assisted by rate growth, business travel revenue rose by more than +40% over January of last year, while leisure revenue jumped nearly +15% over the same period in 2010.
The report also forecast growth in business and leisure bookings through mid-year based on business on the books. Forward-looking data for bookings made through the mostly corporate global distribution systems (GDS), show an average monthly growth rate potential of more than +20% through the second quarter. Average daily rate (ADR) for the channel will continue at the same or an even stronger pace than that realized in Q4 2010, while length of stay (LOS) will also expand.
“The travel industry’s rebound is a direct result of a healing economy and increased corporate travel,” said Mike Kistner, chief executive officer of Pegasus Solutions. “As corporate profits and competition return, companies are sending executives and sales teams back on the road. The accompanying growth in length of stay and booking lead times suggest more of these trips are made of group travel, conferences and meetings, which are a boon for hotels.”
The outlook for the leisure market also reflects positively for hotels. Bookings to-date made via online channels, or the alternative distribution systems (ADS), show increases of more than +10% over 2010 through spring and into summer. ADR in this channel will continue a slow and steady climb as well, while LOS will remain static. Look-to-book ratios, a product of online consumer comparisons and transaction processing inefficiency, continue to grow by over +40%, and will remain an issue for the industry.
“Consumers will travel as much or more in the coming year. A strong, but slightly smaller majority will also spend as much or more on travel in 2011 than in 2010 – they plan to spend, but spend wisely by shortening trips or aggressively shopping rates,” added Kistner. “Hotels would do well to examine their revenue management strategies to make sure they don’t risk losing the business or revenue to be had with inapt rates that are too high to sell rooms, or too low to make a profit.”
 Data reported in The Pegasus View comes from billions of transactions processed monthly by Pegasus Solutions, one of the world’s largest global processors of hotel transactions. It reflects data drawn from both GDS and ADS transactions, representing the business and leisure markets respectively for approximately 90,000 hotels worldwide.