Last-Minute Travel Queries Surge on Mobile Devices

LONDON, October 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

-A recent survey indicates that nearly one third of all searches for last minute holidays came via mobile this year, Holiday Hypermarket reports-

Leading online travel retailer Holiday Hypermarket has said that nearly one third of all UK queries for late holidays were made from mobile devices. This is an impressive 28 per cent year-on-year increase measured during the peak summer month of July.

The survey, which was conducted by Google UK, reported similar increases in queries for last-minute accommodation and last-minute holiday packages that included accommodation and airfares. The results echo trends that are emerging across Europe and North America, indicating that this increase has global, rather than local, significance.

In terms of long-term growth, in 2009 only eight per cent of leisure travellers used their mobile phones to find travel information, versus 38 per cent who did so in 2012. Business travellers still submit the largest number of mobile travel queries, increasing in numbers from 25 to 57 per cent in the last three years.

E-Commerce Manager at Holiday Hypermarket, Calum Macdonald, comments: "Whether customers are booking an autumn holiday to Morocco or flying to Gatwick on business, reliance on smart phones has become universal.

"It's interesting to see that leisure and business travellers use different platforms to find the information they want, whether it's search engines, travel retail sites, review platforms or social networks. We're eager to see how this impacts the travel industry in the future, particularly in terms of advertising holidays."

About Holiday Hypermarket:

Holiday Hypermarket (http://www.holidayhypermarket.co.uk/) is a UK based holiday comparison community. We are passionate about helping people in the UK explore, learn and enjoy the world by removing the obstacles that keep them from getting the most out of their holidays. We do this by providing a completely independent travel comparison site that allows you to effortlessly find the best deals with the assistance of a knowledgeable community of fellow travellers who love to share travel advice.

With Holiday Hypermarket you have access to a huge number of travel suppliers which will help you put together flexible, restriction free, itineraries. This, combined with our excellent customer service and vibrant online community, makes Holiday Hypermarket a great place to start exploring the world.