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Let’s face it — mobile apps have become a part of daily life. This
isn’t some sort of new phenomenon. App usage has skyrocketed over the
past nine years. According to Statista, an online statistics portal, 180 billion
apps were downloaded from the Apple App Store between July 2008 (the
same year the app store hit the market) and June 2017. And The 2017
U.S. Mobile App Report revealed that digital media usage time is driven
by mobile apps, where half of digital media time is spent on smartphone
applications.
While most of these users spent the majority of their time on social
networking, news, retail, and multimedia apps, travel-related mobile
applications are becoming increasingly popular.
Travel Planning on the Go
A survey conducted by Opera Mediaworks, now AdColony, a mobile
advertising and marketing platform, found that one in three users go to
specific mobile apps when researching accommodations and activities
for travel. And consumers are looking to do more than just satiate their
thirst for wanderlust. According to Statista, 42 percent of users down-
loaded or utilized a travel-related app because it was easier to make a
reservation than on a mobile site. Clearly, customers are speaking and
companies are listening. Which brings me to the Interval International app.
With the free app — available to iPhone, iPad, and Android-device
users — travel planning is just a tap away. Interval members have been
able to search for and book Getaways, create custom Getaway Alerts
(instant notifications that let members know when their desired Getaway
is available), search the Top Ten Deals, browse the Resort Directory, and
share resort information with friends via text message, email, Facebook,
Twitter, or Pinterest.
Users can also locate nearby resorts using their phone’s GPS,
save a list of their favorite properties, view detailed descriptions and
photos, watch Interval HD videos, and read the members-only Interval
World® magazine.
Raising the Bar
Interval is in an ongoing process of updating and enhancing its digital
tools, and the Interval International app is no exception. In 2018, Interval
is rolling out an upgraded app with some exciting new features and
functionality, plus a major facelift and refreshed look. More information
to come.
Members who already have the free app on their mobile devices will
experience an automatic update with these new features. And, as always,
the app is available for free via the Apple App Store and Google Play.
As the stats show, mobile apps are no longer just an additional
option to offer — they’re an expectation for consumers everywhere. And
as a product of The Quality Vacation Exchange Network®, the Interval
International app is not just a mobile version of — it’s a
native app, created specifically for the mobile-device platform.
So, the next time you pull out your smart-
phone to scroll through your Twitter feed,
request an Uber, or even pay your credit card
bill, remember you are literally one in a million
who have turned to apps as the new normal.
Ralph Fiol is the assistant vice president of digital
innovation for Interval International. He leads efforts
to accelerate business growth through technology,
and works closely with the marketing and resort
sales departments to deliver intelligence on emerg-
ing technologies.
INSIDER
Within the last hour, I used Waze to navigate through
traffic for my lunch meeting (reservation booked on
OpenTable), wrote a stellar review on a social media
site on said restaurant while I waited for my check, and
purchased an iced Americano from Starbucks on my
way back to the office. And I did it all from my iPhone.
BY RALPH FIOL
MOBILE APPS:
No Longer Just an
Option for Travel
Industry
Vacation ownership financing
Source: SNL Financial 3/31/2017. Subject to credit approval. Additional terms and conditions apply.
Products and services offered by Capital One, N.A., Member FDIC. © 2018 Capital One.
Vacations are serious
business at Capital One®
Tom Meyerer
(646) 836-5038
James Casey
(860) 348-8861
You can feel confident investing in vacation ownership
developments with Capital One Commercial Banking.
We offer the balance sheet capacity of a top 10 U.S. bank
with a team of seasoned professionals who understand
the complexities of financing timeshare and vacation
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insights and financing expertise.
JANUARY – MARCH 2018 VACATION INDUSTRY REVIEW