ITHACA — As the hospitality industry gradually ramps up its mobile platforms, a recent study published by Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) found that travelers are ready to use their smartphones and tablets for far more than is currently possible.
The study — called “The Mobile Revolution Is Here: Are You Ready?” — surveyed 754 U.S. travelers and was conducted by Heather Linton and Robert Kwortnik. It found that privacy remains a concern, even though many travelers are willing to share personal information in exchange for special offers and services, according to a Cornell news release.
“Our respondents are ready to use their mobile devices while they travel, and not just to get information,” Linton, a doctoral student at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration (SHA) which includes CHR, said in the release. “Most of our respondents already use their smartphones and tablets for research, both before and during their trip. But young travelers in particular would like to make more use of their mobile devices for things like checking in or out of a hotel, and receiving text notifications when their room is ready.”
“We encountered some intriguing issues relating to mobile devices,” added Kwortnik, who is an associate professor at SHA. “For example, about two-thirds of our respondents had downloaded at least one travel-related mobile application, but then half of those apps had subsequently been deleted. Additionally, the travelers were less interested in downloading individual hotel apps than in using a general lodging app that could store their preferences and through which multiple hotels could use the traveler’s profile to provide a more customized stay.”
Analyzing the travelers’ privacy issues, the researchers found that respondents especially dislike the idea of apps that include automatic geolocation, according to the release. However, since some travelers are willing to share limited personal information, particularly women and young travelers, the industry needs to determine what offers would attract these travelers, the study concluded.
The Center for Hospitality Research says it sponsors research designed to improve practices in the hospitality industry. Under the lead of the center’s corporate affiliates, scholars work with business executives to discover new insights into strategic, managerial, and operating practices.
For more information on the study, or to download it for free, visit: https://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/abstract-18636.html