Mobile Travel app Development. 10 Features for Users Needs
Today’s world differs from what it was yesterday. Each day it seems to be more and more integrated, and more and more people wish to find inspiration in far-off lands. However, the best traveling is the one that is well planned and where improvisations are under some control. Fortunately, there are gazillions of technologies that are of huge help here, particularly travel planner apps and websites. In combination with rapidly developing technologies, it gives push not to travel industry only, but also provides demand on trip app developers for hire. It’s hard to take a back seat when so much comfort is being already offered by mobile services and applications, that’s why travel mobile app development has become a trend used by many startups and large entities.
What are the benefits of mobile travel app development for business?
• For encouraging customers to use your services while on the road. By doing this, you increase your brand’s recognition and favorable association with your company.
• For generating new leads. When you present a new app, you have a chance to have it listed in the Apple App Store and Google Play. If people download and like your app, they can become valuable customers.
• Online exposure. If you have a mobile trip app that proves its usefulness to travelers, it may inspire bloggers and media to write about it and to recommend it. This will give you great media coverage, recognition and increase the number of downloads.
• For giving people what they need. If you identify which services are really in want for among travelers, they will surely download your app on their IPhone and will resolve their pre-travelling (tickets, hotel booking) and immediate (flight delayed, where to have a bite) needs.
Okay, we see that mobile travel solutions are something that is worth looking into, but what particular features should be implemented in order to satisfy users’ requirements?
Read also: Cost of app development
Features you need to pay attention to when you develop trip mobile app:
1) Geolocation. Services for geolocation tracking are the first in turn when it comes to creation of smart trip app. This will help tourists to find nearby hotels, cafes and places of interest upon arrival to destination point and take their bearings in the locality later.
2) Itinerary generator. Another crucial function, which helps to arrange routes by operating only data of current location and desired destination. In few seconds, you receive a route with tips as for the most rational distance covering. Implementation of such feature may give travel app development company a good run, but if you want your product to be famed as the best app for travel, this feature is a must. Look at TripHobo for an example.
3) Translator. Yeah, we are living in times yet after the confusion of Babylon, so there is a small chance a traveler know all world’s languages. Thanks to the technologies, a personal interpreter is right in your pocket iOS or Android. Sure, some translations are not perfect, but they would be enough for two foreigners to understand each other.
4) Weather forecasting service. This will not only help tourists in planning and making comfortable and timely flights, but also dress for the weather and feel comfortable throughout the entire trip.
5) Currency converter. Apps for international travel should have this service implemented, so that travelers are aware of exchange rates without a need to spend time looking for it, standing in the middle of the station square somewhere in Laos.
6) World Clock Time Converter. Crossing time zones may jumble not only biorhythms, but also bring in general perplexity with getting oriented in time. That’s why having a world time converting app would be a good bonus while you’re on a journey.
7) Local emergency services and insurance. Unfortunately, emergency situation may happen anywhere, but it’s within our power to minimize its consequences. That’s why every travel insurance app should include emergency phone numbers and local services feed. Read more about this option in our article Insurance App Development. What You Need to Know.
8) Taxi. Cab service is an important feature of travel guide app. Obviously that favorite here is Uber.
9) Trip reviews, recommendations and diaries. Travel journal app like Trip Journal allows travelers documenting their vacation experiences and share them with family and friends, and good old TripAdvisor offers vast opportunities for sharing travel experience with other users.
10) Social media integration. This would be a good bonus, since many social network users do not want to abandon these services on the move as well, sharing experiences and posting photos of their adventures.
Read also: Social Media App Development
How to monetize travel apps?
If you consider the cost to develop a travel app, a question about monetization may also arise, since it’s natural that you wish to get some money from your app.
As a rule, travel applications are monetized by means of hotel, flights and tour bookings with cooperation with travel agencies and airline companies. There is also an advertising model option.
For instance, Hipmunk directs flight and hotel purchase traffic right to airlines, hotels and other travel-related websites. It makes money for taking commission for that. This application compares the info from all top travel and hotel resources, like Airbnb, Hotels.com, Booking.com etc.
KAYAK facilitates the process of users’ search, providing price comparison on various travel products, like hotels, flights etc. Many travel agencies and supplier websites use it as a sales channel. After a user selects a product, KAYAK redirects one to the travel agency or supplier, and the user completes a purchase on their page. Apart from this smart search tool, KAYAK offers various travel management services and tools, like itinerary management, updates of flight status, pricing alerts etc.
How to build a mobile travel app, looking up to the leaders in the field?
Here are some more time-proven apps that obtained users’ hearts, which is proven by millions of downloads from app stores:
• TripAdvisor is very popular free travel planner app, offering search around everything a tourist may need – flights, hotels, activities etc. It also contains recommendations, maps, feedbacks etc. sections, being quite user-friendly and available for smartphones and tablets.
• XE Currency is a good real-time currency converter, available for iPhone and Android at no cost (basic edition). It functions for both laptops and mobile devices. It also has many business-oriented features, like precious metals rate and historic currency patterns.
• Google Translate. The old faithful translating friend is available on your mobile device. Hold your camera next to the foreign text you see (on a sign or in a menu) – and it will give you an instant translation. Cool, isn’t it?
• Citymapper is a worthy alternative to Google Maps service. This comprehensive and easy-to-use service, offers even more detailed trip planning facilities that Google does, including real-time departures, alerts for disruptions and Uber integration. It covers about 30 cities around the globe. Check and see!
Become the one who exceeds the expectations
Yet 5 years ago, we prepared for traveling using our PCs – we surfed the Internet for the price on tickets, booked hotels, rented cars and so on. Today many travelers may dart away and have a journey spontaneously since all these services may be ordered in a couple of clicks on their smartphones. Starting from a travel map app and ending with insurance, diary and tracking facilities for travelers – all variety of travel apps for android and iOS are ready to make the voyage pleasurable and free of unneeded hustle.
According to Google, 67% of leisure and 78% of using their smartphones at many stages of their journeys. However, the same research reveals that 83% of leisure travelers are not completely satisfied with existing traveling apps and say they are not mobile-optimized or user-friendly. What does it mean for you? It means you may become that person who meets and exceeds their expectations.
Hire travel app developers, and you will get design of your travel app, along with the best UI/UX practices and optimal solutions that would fit best for you. Whether you choose hybrid/cross platform or native solution, you have chances to hit the goal with any auditory in case your application is what users need. Contact us today, and maybe soon world’s voyagers and business travelers will ample reward you!
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