TRAVDEX 2010: Sell Me Mobile - By Julie Keyser-Squires, APR
Julie Keyser-Squires Reports from TRAVDEX 2010
“Put the power of a kiosk in each one of your customer’s pockets.”Â
- Jack Loop, VP Business Development, Mobiata, at TRAVDEX
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When Phil Wolf launched TRAVDEX 2010 in Atlanta early May, he thumbed his nose at the recession. Â
He also departed from the format used for PhoCusWright’s previous 50 events and may have inspired a new type of pre-scheduled appointment-driven tradeshow for travel buyers and sellers.Â
“We had 30 appointments set up at TRAVDEX before we left England,” said UK-based attendee Robert Wortham, joint CEO and CIO with RWA Travel Technology Solutions. Â
RWA was one of almost 200 participating companies at the show.Â
TRAVEX solves a central problem for the world’s largest industry – travel, tourism and hospitality: the basic buying and selling of travel technology, which is “increasingly time-consuming, costly and confusing.”Â
TRAVDEX is for airlines, hoteliers, tour companies and other travel providers.Â
It is an all-in-one format full of information-rich keynotes, exhibition space, sponsored events and buyer-seller appointments penciled in every 15 minutes over a two-day period.
Two tracks formalized the information exchange; this article covers “The New Airline Business Model” track, which was heavy on mobile.
Less dazzling, but of interest to technical attendees, was the second track: OpenTravel Alliance Seminar on Technology Standards. Click here to learn top takeaways from that track.
Here are four innovative trends from TRAVDEX 2010:
Mobile:Â A different metaphor than the web.
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Patrick Payne, CEO, QuickmobileÂ
Tweet: “Hoteliers must understand that mobile is a different metaphor than the web.”Â
Takeaways:
- Mobile apps offer a more personalized experience than the web.
- Hotels hosting conferences can offer an event mobile app with all the meeting details.
- Mobile is measurable; it has analytics. If you distribute
- Between 2 and 4 pm, open rate is 50%.
- Between 4 and 7 pm, open rate is 70%.Â
Mobile Apps: Help travelers through any part of the travel process.
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Ben Kazez, President, Mobiata
Tweet: “I saw a need for mobile apps that would help travelers through any part of the travel process.”Â
Takeaways:
- Mobile is the single highest touch point to integrate travelers with your brand.
- Mobile web is constrained to a browser and limited to lists; mobile apps blend web services and present data to the traveler in engaging ways.
- Airlines and hoteliers:Â travelers have a need to engage with you before their trip.
Norman Rose, Senior Tech Analyst for PhoCusWright
President, Travel Tech Consulting
Tweet: “Downloadable mobile apps allow you, the hotelier, to bond with your best clients on a device that they prefer.”Â
Takeaways:
- Three drivers of mobile:
- Adoption of Smartphones
- Early adopters spend more per trip
- The mobile app stores
- How to think about mobile:
- Empower the mobile traveler
- Improve travel efficiency
- Build ancillary revenue and services
- Make sure your website is mobile ready.
A La Carte Fees: A Revenue Generator
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Jay Sorensen, President, The IdeaWorks Company
Tweet: “Look at the airline industry, then put yourself in a traveler’s shoes.”
Takeaways:
- What types of a la carte services can you sell before your guests arrive and while they are at your hotel?
- How to create an a la carte ancillary revenue story for your own company:
- Make an a la carte feature into a product.
- Promote what you have.
- Provide a meaningful discount.
- Tell your story frequently and clearly.Â
- In the lodging industry, the budget models – Holiday Inn Express, not Four Seasons – should provide a la carte fees.
Said Phil Wolfe, founder of PhoCusWright and the company’s first tradeshow, TRAVDEX 2010: “The best time to innovate is when we are all playing defense.”
That time is now, and venues like TRAVDEX explore new evolving revenue strategies.
Julie Keyser-Squires, APR, is CEO of Softscribe Inc., a digital marketing + PR firm that applies SEO and social media to help clients in the hospitality, travel and related markets increase relationships and sales. Give her a shout on twitter @Juliesquires or comment on the company’s blog http://www.softscribeinc.com.