tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29875741.post352831738504742258..comments2024-03-09T20:40:14.660+11:00Comments on The BOOT - The Business of Online Travel: Marriott, Hilon and Omni reporting growth in sales via mobile - but I still believe that 2009 is not the year for mobileTim Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05383381229302650553noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29875741.post-51863311178435087932009-02-21T15:15:00.000+11:002009-02-21T15:15:00.000+11:00@Jonathan - yep - just spent two weeks in japan. n...@Jonathan - yep - just spent two weeks in japan. no one talks on train, they all have their mobile screen in front of their eyes. <BR/><BR/>but i notice that they also seem to like looking into mirrors, so not sure if the mobile is actually turned on, could just have double use as mirror ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29875741.post-46061630700427543152009-02-21T07:35:00.000+11:002009-02-21T07:35:00.000+11:00@John I agree. I predict that most of the product...@John I agree. I predict that most of the product investment and innovation will be around "deal identification" (help consumers find cheaper products and "process improvements" (making the business cheaper to run)<BR/><BR/>@Claude I have never seen anything like this. It is like consumers have closed their wallets and are sitting and home waiting for a miracle<BR/><BR/>@Jonathan - good comments about Japan. You are right. Some of the player there (like Ikyu) have been reporting 40%+ of their bookings by mobile web already.<BR/><BR/>@Pete - I agree. The iphone has done a lot of things, one of which is to prove that a common platform and dev structure is the clear catalyst for product grown and mobile usage.Tim Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05383381229302650553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29875741.post-16256759190959095872009-02-21T07:28:00.000+11:002009-02-21T07:28:00.000+11:00I agree that 2009 is not the year for mobile.........I agree that 2009 is not the year for mobile...<BR/><BR/>...BUT, I do think it's important to point out that there's an undeniable, rapid evolution taking place within mobile. <BR/><BR/>Two years ago I had to visit "wap sites" that didn't do squat, yet now I can stand on a corner w/ an iPhone and use the Yelp application to find + reserve a table at a highly rated restaurant within 5 city blocks. <BR/><BR/>That's a lot of progress in a short amount of time. Clearly the lodging market differs in many ways from restaurants, but I think we'll continue seeing mobile advancing at a faster pace than in previous years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29875741.post-2962153122133065972009-02-21T02:45:00.000+11:002009-02-21T02:45:00.000+11:00I also have to agree with you here Tim; at least i...I also have to agree with you here Tim; at least in Australia.<BR/><BR/>Many travel companies are currently focusing on cutting costs and improving the way they address existing markets/needs, not on developing new ones.<BR/><BR/>I am sure that innovative travel companies will continue to make use of mobile technology to provide a better service, but not to the extent that mobile becomes a major travel distribution medium any time soon.<BR/><BR/>If you look at markets such as Japan however then that's another story as mobiles are already used by a much larger percentage of the population to access, interact and transact on the internet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29875741.post-56915322195118882132009-02-20T17:47:00.000+11:002009-02-20T17:47:00.000+11:00We are in a systemic collapse economy, and travel ...We are in a systemic collapse economy, and travel cies need immediate business at the lower cost possible.<BR/><BR/>And when you have NO demand for your product (the case in many area), it's not to go mobile who will change this fact.<BR/><BR/>I think travel actors need to concentrate to others priorities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29875741.post-16655338356094594072009-02-20T15:01:00.000+11:002009-02-20T15:01:00.000+11:00Have to agree with you Tim. The innovation budgets...Have to agree with you Tim. <BR/><BR/>The innovation budgets are shrinking as times get tougher and business will not invest more money into something that does not generate an immediate or near future return. <BR/><BR/>Considering all the other fish to fry (basic website optimization etc.) at the moment and the timing/critical mass is not with mobile at the moment.<BR/><BR/>Is the mass market even ready to transact over their phones when a large portion of this market are still struggling with website ecommerce? <BR/><BR/>I am sure mobile be important one day but unfortunately for some promoters that day has not arrived and I think calling it even for 2010 would be a bit optimistic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com