A benchmark report published by EPiServer has declared Booking.com the best mobile experience within the UK travel sector, closely followed by Expedia.

The study revealed that the sector is embracing mobile, with multiple smartphone and tablet apps alongside mobile-friendly sites, but that companies are failing to unify their approach and deliver consistent cross-channel experiences.

The EPiServer UK Travel Benchmark Report looked at the UKs 10 most popular travel sites, and scored them on 25 ranking factors across tablet and smartphone apps for iOS and Android, as well as mobile websites. The study focused on whether brands were meeting consumers demands for a rich, personalised experience and seamless journey from browsing to booking.

Cross-channel experience proved key to Booking.com edging out Expedia, thanks to its consistent quality experience across a range of tablet and smartphone apps. However, all the companies examined fell short of maximising their reach through mobile strategies, with Android tablets in particular failing to be properly integrated into overall strategy.

“Mobile has become a disruptor in the digital commerce sector,” said David Bowen, eCommerce product manager at EPiServer. “In order to differentiate in what is fast-becoming a mobile-first sector, travel brands must connect their content with the commerce experience, leading visitors seamlessly through the entire customer journey from search, to reviews, to transaction.

“There is a thirst among consumers for researching and booking travel via a range of mobile devices. The challenge for brands is to deliver personalised content for every visitor, and efficiently being able to provide the same, quality experience regardless of whether they visit you through an app, mobile site or desktop to keep them engaged on the path to purchase.”

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