Performance marketing platform Criteo saw mobile business breach the critical 50% threshold last quarter, underlining why travel firms must have cross-device insight.
Speaking to Travolution after Criteo issued a three month trading update to March 31, chief executive Eric Eichmann said there are relatively few transactions on mobile in travel.
However, he said Criteo figures show 85% of travel transactions involve multiple online sessions and that these are unlikely to all be on the same device.
Criteo’s quarterly update also reflected growing interest in Facebook with 5,000 clients now integrated with the social network’s Dynamic Product Ads.
Eichmann said due to the way the sector has embraced mobile, travel was well-placed to exploit channels like social, although a return on investment is not guaranteed.
“If you look at our Travel Flash Report 2015 24% of travel bookings were on mobile in the UK. Overall mobile transactions were 40% for the UK.
“It seems from that perspective there are fewer transactions happening on mobile in travel, but having said that 85% of travel bookings involve multiple sessions.
“Forty per cent of transactions involve multiple devices, so you have to take account of the true value of mobile.
“There’s certainly been a wide adoption of apps in travel, much more than in retail and there’s a sense that travel has led the way in terms of apps.”
Eichmann said while many apps in travel are utility – like allowing airline customers to check-in – and not transactional, there’s no reason why bookings won’t happen on smartphones.
“We have looked at what transactions take place on mobile and it’s not associated with price. People are transacting at high value in retail.
“The travel booking process tends to take longer and involves more people so when you are ready to book it’s not as spontaneous as in retail.
“In retail it’s not such a considered purchase so in travel maybe people feel more comfortable in a desktop environment.”
With mobile expected to have played a significant role in many travel purchases, Eichmann said it was vital to have a cross-device strategy.
