Hotel Mobile Apps. The Case of 4 and 5 Star Hotels in European German-Speaking Countries

The importance of mobile internet for travel and tourism has been widely acknowledged, nonetheless the different typologies of mobile applications, their design and usefulness are still under researched. In order to contribute to such analysis, this paper studies the “supply side” of hotel mobile applications adopting two research approaches, which complement each other. First, it draws a comprehensive map of contents and services offered by 80 iOS mobile apps of 4 and 5 star individual hotels as well as hotel chains in European German-speaking countries. Second, beside such objective analysis, the point of view of hotel managers is considered, studying both those whose hotel/chain features an app, and those who are not or not yet offering one. The main drivers for publishing an app are: increasing the loyalty and promoting special offers as well as enhancing the interaction with the guests and providing information about the destination. The main reasons for not publishing an app are: perceived irrelevance for the business, absence of added value to the guests’ satisfaction, difficulty to estimate the return on investment as well as lack of economic resources.