New Priceline.com Data Shows That On-The-Road Travelers Are Leading The Charge For Last-Minute Mobile Hotel Bookings
Priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) today released its latest batch of booking trends data for mobile-equipped travelers using iOS, Android and other mobile devices. Among the key takeaways of its fall 2012 snapshot survey, priceline.com found that almost half of the mobile hotel bookers surveyed had already left home and were on the road when they made their reservations. And free Internet access edged out free breakfast and free parking as the hotel perk most important to mobile-equipped travelers.
The data was compiled from surveys conducted among 200 customers who booked hotel rooms through the Priceline: Hotels, Flights & Rental Cars(sm) app for iOS and Android, and through priceline.com's mobile site. About half of the surveyed customers used priceline.com's new Express Deals(sm) hotel service, while the other half booked their rooms using priceline.com's Tonight Only Deals(sm) service.
The survey found that 43% of the mobile bookers who reserved Tonight-Only Deals hotel rooms were in their cars when they booked their room, while 14% said they booked from a remote wi-fi hotspot. Similarly, 40% of those who booked Express Deals rooms said they were on the road when the bookings were made. "This snapshot demonstrates just how last-minute mobile-equipped travelers can be when it comes to making their hotel reservation decisions," said priceline.com's Travel Ekspert Brian Ek. "Having the priceline.com app on their mobile devices gives them the freedom to focus their pre-trip time on what they're going to see and do, knowing that they can book their room and get a great deal even after they've hit the road."
The priceline.com survey also found that there was a definite pecking order in terms of which hotel perks are most effective in attracting travelers who book with mobile devices. Of all the Express Deals customers surveyed, 47% said the free Internet access was a factor in convincing them to book a room, while 39% cited free breakfast and 39% pointed to the free parking. Other perks attracting mobile business included a pool (26%), fitness center (17%), restaurant (14%), business center (13%), and pet-friendly (7%).
Earlier this fall, priceline.com released the results of an internal savings trends study among Tonight-Only Deals customers. The study found that Sunday is the most popular check-in night among last-minute mobile bookers, while Thursday night check-ins tend to deliver the deepest savings. The study also found that, on average, mobile users who booked Tonight-Only Deals saved 41% compared to the published retail price. And 25% of those who booked saved 50% or more off retail prices. All savings are calculated off the freshest, lowest retail rate available on priceline.com.
This latest survey follows priceline.com's launch of its enhanced Priceline.com: Hotels, Flights & Rental Cars(sm) app, which is optimized for the iPhone5. The app can be downloaded for free from the iTunes store http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/priceline-hotel-car-negotiator/id336381998?mt=8&uo=4. Priceline.com also offers a version of the app, with hotel and rental car booking features, for Android, that can be downloaded for free from the Android market https://market.android.com/details?id=com.priceline.android.negotiator. Travelers with other devices can access priceline.com's mobile-friendly website at m.priceline.com.
About Priceline.com
Priceline, part of Booking Holdings Inc. [NASDAQ: BKNG], is a world leader in travel deals. Priceline offers exclusive discounts on hotels, flights, alternative accommodations, rental cars, cruises and packages. We offer more than a million lodging properties, helping travelers find the right accommodation at the right price. We negotiate great deals every day, and put our best pricing on the Priceline app. Our deep discounts on hotels, flights, rental cars and more are also exclusively distributed through our partnership brand, Priceline Partner Network. With free cancellation for many rates, 24-hour customer assistance and the option for both pre-paid and pay upon arrival reservations, Priceline helps millions of travelers be there for the moments that matter. For us, every trip is a big deal.
