Mobile Technology Use in Tourism

Mobile Data use worldwide

Some years ago, till now the time somebody spends online increased rapidly. Especially the use of the smartphone developed in the last few years. Compared to the desktop use which remained more or less steady or even decreased a little, the smartphone use increased a lot and will rise even more in the future. The usage of tablets had a slight increase in the last years. (Aebli, 2017)

The World Wide Web was just developed 25 years ago and nowadays more than half of the world uses a smartphone and half of all the digital traffic goes over smartphones. (We are social, 2017) With all this development of technology also the time spent on mobile devices changed over time tremendously. An average person spends about 3 hours on the smartphone every day. (Aebli, 2017)

Mobile has become a primary need

But it is not just the time which is spent using the smartphone or another electric device it is also that hardly anybody could imagine living without such a device. It would be difficult to think of the everyday life without smartphone usage. But why is it that users have become so engaged with their smartphones? For sure it is a very convenient gadget in the daily life as well as very easy to get information. But at this point also the question arises if the information is really stored in the brain as there is somehow an information overload. Moreover, can be said that apps totally fit into consumers’ life. (Aebli, 2017) For example nobody can think of not having WhatsApp, Facebook or Instagram on their smartphones and check them several times a day. Furthermore, a lot of people are taking their purchase over digital mediums like the smartphone or tablet instead of going to a shop. (Medium 2017)

Smartphone as travel buddy

Of course, this can be applied also in the tourism industry as many people booking their holidays, checking the city map or finding certain information during their travels on their smartphones. (Aebli, 2017) In the time of the ubiquity of smartphones the human does not have to rely on their memories anymore. Everything can be found in the internet and it does not even cost a lot. Surely this brings some advantages like a tourist can easily change the route during travelling the globe or if any kind of problem occur it is very easy to find assistance. On the other side a boon on traveling with mobile devices can cause disruptions. (Medium, 2016) This is not only valid for the tourist itself but also for suppliers. Through the whole development with the mobile devices on one hand huge opportunities opened for suppliers in view of reaching guests. On the other hand the whole information provided online has to be up to date all the time.

Engagement with mobile Apps

In total 2.2 million apps can be found on the Apple App store and 2.8 million apps on the Android store. (Statista, 2017)

However, only about 2% of these apps break even whereas most of them are just not downloaded. The most used mobile apps are Google and Facebook. They basically held a monopoly since only Pandora does not belong to them. (ComScore, 2017)

image 1: top 10 mobile apps

The reason for the low break even can be due to the fear of missing out (FOMO) of companies. The most used apps are social media ones. In order to overcome the FOMO, companies think that they need to launch at least one app, however before creating an app, it should be analysed if the market is not already saturated. (Aebli, 2017)

Average users have about 26 apps on their smartphone but only five of them are used on a daily base. For the most important app, users spend 49% of their time on the smartphone whereas 65% on the tablet. For the second most used app they only spend 18% of their time on the smartphone and 17% on the tablet. This means, if your app is not enough relevant to the consumer, maybe the user will download it but not use it at all. In the future this can also lead users to delete the app. As a matter-of-fact the main reasons why apps are deleted are following:

•  Frequency of app use
• Decluttering of the phone
• Declining interest into the app
• Need of more storage space
• What factors explain mobile technology adoption

(Aebli, 2017)

Theories

The Technology Acceptance Model

The Technology Acceptance Model short TAM was created by Davis (1986) in order to predict the acceptability of an information system by the users. According to the model, individuals use an information system if the behavioural intention is given. However, the latter is determined by the following two factors: perception of usefulness, hence if it will improve the user’s performance and perception of utility or the degree of effortless of using the system. Therefore, beside the attitude, other factors determinate the use of a system. (Edutech, 2017 and Surendran, 2017)

If a tool will improve the work performance and efficiency, a system can be used by the users even though they do not like it. Moreover, according to Davis, there is a direct link between the perceived ease of use and usefulness. For the user this means that he will prefer the information system which is perceived as easier to use. (Edutech, 2017)

image 2: Technology Acceptance Model

The theory of planned behaviour

The theory of planned behaviour short TPB was created by Ajzen and recognizes that knowledge is not the only factor that influences attitudes but that external factors and context do as well.

Behavioural intention is not only predicted by attitude but also by subjective norms and the perceived behaviour control. (Academlib, 2017)

The attitude towards the behaviour is an individual’s belief of whether a certain behaviour or act has a positive or negative contribution to its life. The subjective norm focuses on everything external of the person such as what family and friends thinks about a certain behaviour, the social network, group believes or cultural norms. The perceived behavioural control refers to an individual’s perception of how easy or difficult it is to handle or display a certain behaviour.

According to the theory, if all three constructs are positive this will lead to a positive behavioural intention and in turn lead to the actual behaviour or action. However, the more constructs are negative the more the behavioural intention will decrease. (QUI, 2017)

image 3: Theory of planned behaviour

The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

Due to digitalization and technological evolvement during the past years the development of information technologies have received more attention and theoretical models have been created to explain technology acceptance of users. The newest model is the unified theory of adoption and use of technology (UTAUT) by Venkatesh et al. (2003).

According to this theory the following concepts are possible:

• performance expectancy à degree of helpfulness of a system to perform better
• effort expectancy à degree of ease of the system
• social directly à what other thinks about the system
• facilitating conditions à how easy it is to use a system

(Linkedin, 2017)

All the four variables are independent but the first three directly influence behavioural intention and how behaviour is used (which are dependent variables) of individuals towards the acceptance of information technology. Whereas the fourth is a direct determinant of user behaviour. Moreover, the model suggests that facilitating conditions and behavioural intention predicts the user’s behaviour. (Jatit, 2017) Gender, age, experience and voluntariness of use have all an indirect influence on the dependent variables through the four main concepts.

image 4: Unified theory of adoption and use of technology

Key driving factors of mobile technology adoption

It can be said that the main driving forces of mobile technology adoption can be split into three categories:

• Technology which includes the usefulness
• the ease of use
• the quality and the security of the technology

How to engage users with mobile apps?

In the tourism industry there are various apps available, which should provide the user a better user experience at a destination. Before asking, how the users should engage with mobile apps, the users need to be convinced to download the app. A clear benefit for the user and simple usability are key factors to download an app. If an app is once downloaded, the even more difficult part starts: How can users be engaged with mobile apps? As already mentioned earlier, the smartphone users spend half of their time on their number one app. To keep the users engaged with the mobile app, a clear defined strategy needs to be worked out. For the user it is crucial to have an optimal app experience, therefore the app editor should constantly analyse which features are most valuable for the users, to plan which specific activities should be further developed. Furthermore, a periodic messaging to the audience keeps them up to date and shows the continues extension of the app. Some rewards should be given to the users to encourage them to open the app and spend their time online. Due to in-app messaging, marketers experience a two to three times higher retention rate and in the end, a main goal of the app editor should be, to focus on remaining users, because it is much cheaper, than acquire new ones. (Mullany, 2016)

The unconscious mind

95% of human cognition occurs below awareness. The other five percent, belongs to the cortex. This is the rational part and can be measured with surveys or interviews. Prices, services or conveniences are attributes for the cortex. For a destination and its app, the aim is to go deeper into the thoughts and emotions of a user. The unconscious part of the user’s mind is first defined by the limbic part, which is the social and psychological process of a user and is influenced by the emotional values and consequences which are in the mind of the user. The last part of this triangle, is the body with its biological processes producing mental activity, such as heart beat, breathing or reflexes. This model should help to understand consumers’ mental activity. (Aebli, 2017)

Will new Technologies replace Tourism?

Obviously, there are many new technologies in tourism, which changed the way of doing business. A digital revolution for holidaymakers and technological advances increased the possibility to personalize each need rapidly. Basic actions, such as booking a flight or an accommodation, online research about a destination or the reading of trusted reviews are just simple preparation steps for successful holidays. The low-cost carriers or online travel agencies are winner of these developments, since many travellers are organizing their trip by themselves. On the other hand, the classical travel agents were forced to adapt to a very changing marketplace. The digital revolution changed a lot in the tourism industry. Travellers expect personalized services and customized products to provide the best possible experience. (Bearne, 2016)

Virtual reality or other innovative technologies may help to increase the desire to travel to a certain destination, but to fulfil this desire, the people still want to visit the destination in real life. The human values are more important than the technology. Social experience and interaction are key elements, which should be satisfied by travelling to a destination and these elements are still hardly to comply in an online world. (Aebli, 2017)

Conclusion

Mobile technologies have of course a huge impact on the tourism industry and face the contributors with challenges and opportunities. However, a remaining relationship and community feeling can be built up with a mobile app, the importance of personal trade cannot be disregarded. Our four-hour session to this topic was concluded by the guest speaker Kristian Paasila, the CEO of Inside Labs, which developed the successful LAAX inside app. He provided interesting insights into the world of developing an app for an alpine tourism destination and how to engage the users in an effective way.

Linda, Sina & Marianne

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References

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