Knowland: Hotels Slow to Act on Mobile Apps despite Belief in Their Future

The Knowland Group, a data firm in the global meetings and conventions industry, today released a survey on hoteliers' and meeting planners' attitudes and experience with mobile apps. Results show that while the majority believe mobile apps are the wave of the future, few have any firsthand knowledge of them. This inexperience means hotel sales professionals are currently unable to fully capitalize on the popular new technology.

A majority of respondents agree that mobile apps are here to stay. Sixty-seven percent said they believe apps are useful tools that are going to be around for a long time. "I think they are going to have a very big impact and are just now starting to break through with business," said one event coordinator for a Colorado Springs association.

However, 54 percent said they had not had any exposure to mobile apps for the hospitality industry. In addition, 20 percent said they had only heard about these types of mobile apps once or twice and only six percent said that they used them all the time. One Director of Sales at a San Francisco Hotel said she has had no exposure to mobile apps for the hospitality industry; they are not even allowed to use their cell phones at work. Mobile apps, she explained, are, "for the younger generation."

While hoteliers and meeting planners for the most part agreed that mobile apps will be important in the future, 50 percent said they are not having an impact on the meetings and convention industry today. Those who have seen an impact recognize the benefits of using mobile apps to enhance the attendees' experience. Of the half who believe mobile apps are having an impact, 100 percent said that it was either very positive or somewhat positive.

The Knowland survey was conducted over a three day period from October 20-22, 2010.