Sigma study finds top UK travel websites are embracing mobile

A new report by digital user experience agency Sigma has found the top travel websites have embraced the need to have them accessible on mobile devices. The study has found eight of the ten sites looked at, including Skyscanner, AirBnb, LateRooms, Booking.com, LastMinute, OnTheBeach, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Co-operative Travel, and Expedia are optimised for … Continue reading Sigma study finds top UK travel websites are embracing mobile

A new report by digital user experience agency Sigma has found the top travel websites have embraced the need to have them accessible on mobile devices.

The study has found eight of the ten sites looked at, including Skyscanner, AirBnb, LateRooms, Booking.com, LastMinute, OnTheBeach, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Co-operative Travel, and Expedia are optimised for mobile.

The Sigma report contains independent, expert testing of the user experience and accessibility of the 10 top travel websites.

Of the travel websites tested, nine of the businesses had built their own dedicated mobile app, suggesting that they are investing in their multi-device strategies.

The findings also discovered that all of the brands had taken steps to make their site either responsive or adaptive which offers an improved experience for users across these mobile technologies.

However, only half of the websites were tablet-friendly, suggesting that these travel companies might have skipped this important step in favour of a tailored mobile app.

Hilary Stephenson, managing director at Sigma, said: “The statistics show that holidaymakers are booking a lot of their trips online across different devices, and our research proves that the top travel websites have taken this on board.

“It should be a given that all websites are usable across devices, particularly now we’re moving more and more online, meaning consumers are increasingly wanting to be able to access information and services on the move via a mobile or tablet.

“We weren’t surprised, therefore, to find that all of the websites had either a responsive or adaptive mobile site. It is important that these businesses have this same attitude to being easy to use on tablet devices, as one in four of holidaymakers use this device to book a trip.

“Although it was encouraging to discover that the majority of these businesses had built their own dedicated mobile app – taking it one step further to ensure they are available to consumers on multiple platforms – they need to remember that some consumers will be accessing them on tablet via a browser, and avoid skipping this step.

“Mobile apps give these travel businesses the freedom to provide a unique user experience for their customers on the move, and will provide a good return on investment. As a result, we think it’s just a matter of time before all travel companies have their own mobile app, but first, they need to make sure their websites are easy to use on tablet devices.”