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How Will iPhone Travel Apps Change Our Lives and the Way We Do Business?

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There is an app for almost everything. Would you agree? We have seen apps for bidding room price (Priceline.com), visual tours of a spa and a hotel (Fourseasons; with call-for-reservations functions), making or changing reservations with special requests (Choice Hotels and Omni Hotels), checking into their rooms up to 48 hours in advance (Hilton; with apps for different brands). What else can an app do for us?

Hyatt Regency Greenville, S.C. introduced an app to enhance guest service experience. It serves as a concierge in the hotel, allowing guests to see photos of the room service menu, search and get directions to nearby attractions, and order amenities. Room service? Is it necessary? According to the hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing, 80% of their guests use their handhelds to get to their hotel; the usage of guest services portal has increased by 300 – 400%; moreover, guests who use apps for room service spend 17 – 20% more compared to those who do not.

Obviously, apps have been changing customers' behaviors and the way we do business. The questions are: How far will apps take us? And how much impact will apps have on our business?

Sources:
1. Hotel-Online.com: http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2010_1st/Jan10_GBCblueHyatt.html (Picture of this post was also copied from this website)
2. Choice Hotels.com: http://www.choicehotels.com/mobile
3. U.S.A. Today: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/11/exclusive-hilton-worldwide-to-lure-apple-iphone-users-with-new-apps/1
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  1. Linchi KwokApril 10, 2010 at 10:57 AM

    A follow-up news from U.S.A. Today on April 9, 2010:

    Small Luxury Hotels of the World launches iPhone app

    http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2010/04/small-luxury-hotels-of-the-world-launches-ipod-app-loire-valley/1

    ReplyDelete

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