Importance of mobile to hotels underlined at Trust International conference

Hoteliers have been told that being available to book on any mobile device is vital if they are to survive.

Hoteliers have been told that being available to book on any mobile device is vital if they are to survive.

The message came at the annual Customer Conference run by Trust International, a global CRS provider, in Florence Italy.

The event was told how projects forecast that web access on mobile will exceed that on desktop next year.

Speaking in a ‘Designing the Optimal Website’ session Paul Mervin, managing director of Cognite, said design for web access from any device is critical.

Richard Wiegmann, managing director of Trust International “We believe the momentum for online hotel distribution will continue, as all statistics point to more guests booking travel online, particularly last minute travel via mobile devices.

“With one in three online purchases travel-related, we crafted this customer event to drive home the importance of leveraging the online distribution market as well as best practices, new technologies and products and insight into the future that can help hoteliers capture online reservations through an array of devices.”

Trust International says it is seeing record highs for hotel reservations through online distribution in 2013.

Internet reservations through company´s own web sites and via OTA channels have more than doubled since 2011, it said.

Trust customer Dominic Carr, corporate vice president at Rotana Hotel Management Corporation said:

“The depth of information we received on the online market, the new tools available from Trust and the analysis of the market from the independent experts is extremely beneficial as we continually reassess our strategy to address changing market conditions and anticipate future needs. The network of contacts we have developed here will be invaluable.”