Demand for mobile travel content doubles

The number of holidaymakers accessing travel information on their mobile devices when they are away has doubled in the past year.

Fifty-two percent of respondents taking part in a global survey of 1,700 people by Frommer's Unlimited said they were most likely to access travel information compared to only 27% in 2010.

Unsurprisingly, youngsters aged between 18 and 34 were the biggest advocates, with 72% of respondents accessing mobile travel content on holiday.

The most popular downloads were seeing attractions, restaurants and shops on maps (57%), followed by key phrases in local languages (55%), local offers (51%), itineraries and walking tours (50%), local etiquette and customs (49%) and tipping and currency converters (45%). Surprisingly, accessing local etiquette was the third most important type of content for the 18-34 age group.

In an about turn, finding things to do (92%) was the most influential factor in selecting a holiday destination this year, followed by price (86%) - a reversal of last year's results.

User reviews on travel web sites and in guidebooks and social medial were seen as very influential in choosing a holiday followed closely by editorial content. More than half said they were likely to post a hotel review online on their return and a third would post travel photos or share experiences on Facebook.

The majority of people look for destination information online before deciding where to go (93%) although nearly twice as many people as last year (77%) look when they are booking flights and accommodation.

The most important travel content when planning a holiday was description of destinations and special offers and deals; at the booking stage it was maps of destinations and resort guides; and before travelling, the weather followed by attractions and events was key.

Confusing websites, poor site navigation and insufficient destination were the main irritants.

Giles Longhurst, Frommer's Unlimited director Europe, said: ' The rise of the smart phone and the launch of iPad since our last survey have clearly led to a more prominent demand for mobile content.'

New BA app lets you download your boarding pass

Hotels of the future