Smartphones top holiday list

SINGAPORE Forget the sun screen, magazines and guide books, new research released by InterContinental Hotels Group reveals the must holiday item is the smartphone.
It based its conclusion on more than 10,000 travellers across 13 countries worldwide who responded to a research project initiated by IHG Rewards Club.
The findings showed that nearly 40% of travellers agree that their smartphone is the most important item to take on holiday – and 67% agree that they will use it every single day.
As a result, one in 10 travellers clock an impressive average of 70 hours online, while on holiday – almost 20% of the actual time spent on a two-week holiday.
IHG Rewards Club has over 80 million members worldwide, while IHG has over 4,700 hotels around the world and a family of nine trusted hotel brands.
IHG Rewards Club surveyed more than 10,000 of its members worldwide in order to gain further insight into their relationships with their loyalty programme and to learn more about their travel needs.
The survey found that the smartphone is fast replacing the traditional postcard with 64% of respondents saying they use it to text friends and another 32% to Skype friends and family back home, while on holiday.
However, recounting holiday experiences with friends and family still remains one of the most enjoyable ways of sharing a holiday, with one in ten travellers saying this is as enjoyable as the holiday itself.
Planning a holiday is, nearly, half the fun – (45%) of all travellers say it is the best part of a holiday and more than half (57%) use their smartphones to book vacations.
IHG senior vice president customer loyalty marketing, Susanna Freer-Epstein said: “This research shows how mobile technology is revolutionising the holiday experience.”
The survey also uncovered that 42% of travellers check social media every day while on holiday, with 25% of them even saying they always check Facebook before going to sleep.
While taking in the sights and attractions, more than half (51%) of travellers also prefer to use their smartphones to take pictures instead of digital cameras.

sourced:ttrweekly.com