p28-29 Knowledge feature Jan29 26/1/10 17:44 Page 29
ttglive.com
iphone applications knowledge
WHO’S DOING WHAT
It’s not just the cruise industry which is jumping on the
iPhone bandwagon. Here’s a list of travel brands and
the apps they’ve launched that could help you sell. . .
British Airways App function: lets you check-in via
your handset. Cost: free
Travel Counsellors App function: helps managers
keep up to date with the latest sales figures 24/7 in
order to remain informed of changing customer
behaviour. Cost: N/A
STA App function: Not an app as such, but CPC
(cost-per-click) text and tile iPhone adverts promoting
travel offers for its on-the-go target market, as well as
a click-to-call function. Cost: N/A
Four Seasons Hotel App function: A booking portal
and “mini escapes” function lets users check availabil-
ity, locations, videos and hotel images. Cost: free
Accor App function: Searches for nearest hotel and
has booking facility. Memorises current reservations
and favourite hotels, and flags up promotions.
Cost: free
Design Hotels App function: City guide maps covering
Amsterdam, Miami, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, London,
Sao Paulo, Vienna, Shanghai and Barcelona, featuring
reviews and hotel images plus search functions for
nearest hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs and museums.
Cost: £3.99 for one; £15.99 for all destinations
National Rail Enquiries App function: provides
access to real-time rail journey planning information,
including platform changes and cancellations, plus a
“find your nearest station” function. Cost: £4.99
Healix Travel Vaccination App function: Gives
vaccination and travel advice to any destination
worldwide. Cost: 59p
Greater Fort Lauderdale App function: Gives visitors
to the region detailed information on shopping,
museums, dining, beaches, hotels and resorts,
transport and events. Cost: free
technology of the app means information mation. Our main objective is to understand the tie-up with Celebrity Cruises has meant
can be updated easily, he adds. the mobile platform as a route to market. that the cruise line has underwritten the costs.
The app even contains deck plans for If we get a small percentage of bookings While Philippou acknowledges these costs
Celebrity’s newest ship Celebrity Eclipse, through it too I will be very happy,” he says. will deter many agents from developing
which doesn’t launch until April, making it Travel Tip-off currently stands in a their own all-singing, all-dancing applica-
considerably easier for agents to bring the respectable 14th place of iTunes’ most tions, he does believe that those of operators
ship to life and sell. downloaded travel apps, and Bloxham are “handy tools” for product and destina-
says there are “fewer and fewer barriers” tion information when selling.
Teletext’s top tips for other agents trying to follow suit.
Teletext Holidays is also getting in on the If agents can stump up the cost of Massive potential
iPhone action, having launched a “top deals” developing an app – Bloxham quotes Another benefit of these apps for travellers is
app this month. Travel Tip-off is free to “early thousands” for Teletext – then the once downloaded, the information is available
download and supplies a daily summary of most challenging part of development, he offline, meaning there are no expensive
its top 20 deals from both its own and other believes, is having a unique idea for a useful roaming charges. Most bookable apps also
advertisers’ offerings. function that will be used regularly. offer secure payment processing.
Marketing director at Teletext Holidays While for most travel companies the “This technology is still in its infancy
Mark Bloxham says the app was “not overly tendency is to outsource the development of but its potential in the travel industry is
hard to develop” but considerably more time an iPhone application, Gill’s benefits from massive,” says Philippou. “We’ve got our
was spent researching what content to put having an on-site team capable of creating team working on more ‘e-developments’
out to customers and how to engage with the coding. However, the costs involved for because we believe it to be the future.”
them to ensure the app didn’t become “dead”. the Celebrity app were not small. Philippou
“The industry is very aware of the estimates a total of £50,000, although it took ■ Are you using iPhone technology in your
changing profile of customer search behav- only two weeks to deliver the end result agency? Let us know by emailing Olivia
iour and the speed at which they want infor- from the initial concept. Luckily for Gill’s Hemmings on ohemmings@ttglive.com
29.01.2010 29
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