Tablets ‘are the logical home for travel apps’ – Comtec

Consumers would be more willing to book travel on a tablet device than on a smartphone, according to technology company Comtec

Consumers would be more willing to book travel on a tablet device than on a smartphone, according to technology company Comtec.

Respondents to a poll of 100 World Travel Market delegates conducted by the company agreed that consumers find searching and booking holidays on small-screen mobile devices less attractive than doing so on tablets such as Apple’s iPad.

However, they believed there are still interesting ways to push personalised, targeted search results onto smartphones.

The company was showcasing its fledgling mobile-based technology platform on iPads at the exhibition and conducted the poll alongside a competition to win one of the devices.

Respondents found Comtec’s prototype, which allows consumers to purchase add-ons while in resort based on their GPS data, “interesting”.

Comtec chief technology officer Humphrey Sheil said: “Travel brands have been discussing mobile applications for some time now, however, nothing has really taken off.

“The iPad, and other tablet devices, seems a much more logical home for travel applications, many of which are highly interactive.”

Poll respondents agreed that using the mobile channel to push relevant travel information such as flight schedule changes, in-resort news and country advisories to holidaymakers is critical, and adds value to a booking.