Mobile Apps are Making Travel Easier
Even if you enjoy travel, you have to admit that planning and having a trip can be a bit of an undertaking. You have all of the planning for booking flights and accommodations, then you have issues with learning about your destination and finding your way around.
While all of these issues may not have been worked out, iPhone app developers are creating platforms that make travel easier than it ever has been. From making it easier to plan a trip to providing services while you are at your destination, you can solve many of your problems right from your phone.
If you travel regularly for your profession, these apps can make your life easier. The following are some of the ways mobile apps are changing the travel industry for the better.
Easy Booking
Many apps offer a platform for all-in-one booking. A good example is the Ctrip app from China. This app not only makes it easy to book flights and hotel rooms, it also offers the ability to arrange for a car, find tours and book train tickets. If you are traveling in China, it offers an easy way to obtain all of these services from one simple platform.
Location-Based Services
Many apps include geolocation services that tell the phone where the user is. In the context of tourism, this can be used to help travelers find their way around and to find services and attractions. A good example of this is the Amap app from AutoNavi. Along with helping travelers with directions, this Chinese navigation app uses geolocation services to help travelers find attractions, show times for events and public toilets.
Easy Transactions
Handling payments and currency exchange can be a real problem when traveling abroad. One way mobile apps are solving this problem is by creating mobile wallets people can use when they are overseas. With this feature, you don’t have to carry a lot of cash when you are on a trip and it can make it easier to pay. With services like WeChat Pay and the Alipay Tour Pass, this is another area where China is excelling at using mobile app technology to improve travel.
Trip Reviews
Many of us have hesitated to take a trip because we weren’t sure if we would like the destination or the accommodations. Many travel apps have solved this problem by offering features that allow people to post reviews. On many of these apps, you can find reviews for everything from the hotels and attractions to tour packages and restaurants.
Discounts and Promotions
Another great service is that travel apps can help you save money on your trip. You can find the best price on a flight and then find deals for different hotel rooms at your destination. Many of these apps will also help you compare different dates to book a trip at the time that will be cheapest. Some of them may also offer incentives for joining a membership to get deals and discounts.
With smartphone apps that help with things like booking, paying and finding your way around, you can travel with greater confidence, save money and find more ways to enjoy a trip. Since travel is a multi-billion dollar industry, there is a lot of incentive to keep innovating and we can expect many of these advances to be focused on the devices we all carry around in our pockets.
