The current use and future expectations of business travellers regarding mobile travel applications

Abstract

Mobile travel applications provide a wide range of services to support any stage of the travel process and have therefore become indispensable to travel distributors and travellers alike. While the use of mobile applications in the context of leisure travel has been the topic of several studies, their use by business travellers has enjoyed relatively little academic attention and it has become evident that a need exists for more substantial scientific research in this area. The overall aim of this study was to investigate the current use of mobile applications by business travellers before, during and after their business trips, and to determine their needs regarding the development of applications for future use by taking into consideration the different profiles of business travellers and the different characteristics of the trips they undertake. The findings of this study contribute to the available literature relating to business travel by extending our knowledge of business travellers and their use and future expectations of mobile travel applications. The data for this study was collected by means of an internet-based questionnaire distributed to approximately 13 098 business travellers who had booked domestic and/or international trips with Carlson Wagonlit Travel South Africa during the period from 1 August 2013 to 31 July 2014. Due to the overwhelming amount of data received, a cluster analysis was done. The results showed that female business travellers typically earn slightly less than their male counterparts, that fewer have degrees and that they find mobile travel applications more useful during the booking stage, whereas males find them more useful during the travelling stage. The results also give an indication of the profile of the average business traveller and provide information on the expectations of business travellers with regard to the further development of travel applications for future use.

Mobiele reistoepassings bied gedurende enige stadium tydens die verloop van 'n reis 'n wye reeks ondersteuningsdienste en het gevolglik onontbeerlik geword vir sowel reisagentskappe as reisigers. Alhoewel verskeie studies reeds onderneem is oor die gebruik van mobiele toepassings wanneer mense vir plesier reis, is betreklik min aandag tot dusver op akademiese gebied aan die gebruik van hierdie toepassings deur sakereisigers geskenk en het dit duidelik geword dat daar 'n behoefte bestaan aan meer deeglike wetenskaplike navorsing op dié gebied. Die algehele doel van hierdie navorsing was om ondersoek in te stel na die huidige gebruik van mobiele reistoepassings deur Suid-Afrikaanse sakereisigers, en om te bepaal hoe belangrik die beskikbaarheid van daardie toepassings vir hulle is terwyl hulle reis. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dra by tot die beskikbare literatuur oor sakereise deur ons kennis van sakereisigers en hul gebruik van en verwagtinge ten opsigte van mobile reistoepassings uit te brei. Die data vir hierdie studie is ingesamel deur middel van 'n internetgebaseerde vraelys. Dié vraelys is aan ongeveer 13 098 sakereisigers gestuur wat gedurende die tydperk 1 Augustus 2013 tot 31 Julie 2014 sitplekke op binnelandse en/of internasionale vlugte deur Carlson Wagonlit Travel Suid-Afrika bespreek het. Die resultaat bied 'n aanduiding van die profiel van die gemiddelde sakereisiger, asook inligting oor die funksies van mobiele reistoepassings wat in die verskillende stadiums tydens die verloop van 'n reis as belangrik beskou word.