The number of consumers accessing travel information via mobile devices when on holiday has doubled in the last year, according to a global survey of 1,700 people carried out by digital travel content firm, Frommer’s Unlimited, the b2b business of Frommer’s, a branded imprint of Wiley.

52 per cent of respondents said that they were most likely to access travel information on their mobile devices when travelling, compared to 27 per cent in 2010. Respondents aged between 18 and 34 are the biggest advocates, with 72 per cent of this age group accessing mobile travel content on holiday, compared to only 48 per cent in 2010.

The survey also revealed the top six types of mobile travel content that consumers want when on holiday. The most important function is seeing points of interest like attractions, restaurants and shops on a map (57 per cent), followed by key phrases in local languages (55 per cent); local offers (51 per cent); itineraries and walking tours (50 per cent); local etiquette and customs (49 per cent); and tipping and currency converters (45 per cent). Interestingly, the 18-34 age bracket expressed an increased interest in accessing information related to local etiquette and customs, and it ranked as the third most important type of content for this age group.

“The rise of the smartphone and the launch of the iPad since our last survey have clearly led to a more prominent demand for mobile content,” says Giles Longhurst, Frommer’s Unlimited director of Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Consumers are expecting instant, sophisticated travel content and, more often than not, they are relying on this content to guide them through an unknown destination. Businesses need to respond to this by bypassing the gimmicks and offering reliable and trustworthy mobile travel content that can offer immediate up-to-date answers to the questions that consumers have when on holiday.”

Businesses should also look to engage with holidaymakers via social networks when they return home as over half (51 per cent) of all respondents indicated they are likely to post a hotel review online, and over one third of all respondents would post travel photos(38 per cent) or share travel experiences on Facebook (33 per cent).
You can download the complete report here.