Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, June 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past two years, competition in the online travel market has reached a fever pitch, and the battle shifting from PCs to mobile has already begun. Asthedomestic online travel mobile market booms, the global online travel search platform Skyscanner (www.tianxun.com) is also steadily expanding its mobile presence. Recently, it launched its all-in-one new app "Skyscanner Trips", combining three separate apps for flights, hotels, and car rentals, and adding new features such as attraction tickets and vacation packages. Industry insiders analyze that the mobile battlefield of online travel will become increasingly fierce in 2015, and the entry of international online travel brands will undoubtedly intensify the competition.
Focusing on a "Mobile First" Strategy, Expanding Globally on Mobile
From Skyscanner’s global strategy perspective, "Mobile First" has always been the company's core business principle and is considered the future of travel planning and booking. A strong mobile product is crucial for future success. Skyscanner founder and CEO Gareth Williams once said: "Mobile will undoubtedly dominate the future of online travel bookings. More and more travelers are making plans on the go, and this trend is only accelerating." China is no exception. According to a report released by CNNIC in December 2014, the number of users booking flights, hotels, train tickets, or travel vacation packages via mobile phones reached 134 million, an increase of 194.6% compared to 2013, indicating significant room for future growth.
Since entering China, Skyscanner has seen notable growth in mobile searches and bookings. According to the latest data released by Skyscanner, in 2014, the number of Chinese tourists using mobile phones to search for flights increased by 333% compared to the previous year, and mobile new user growth reached 240%. Various signs indicate that there is greater growth potential in the online travel mobile market, and competition will become increasingly fierce. The entry of international online travel brands also injects diverse resources into China's online travel market.
Skyscanner Trips
Product-Oriented: The All-New One-Stop App Expands Localized Services
Skyscanner has always adhered to a product-oriented and mobile strategy, and its approach of looking globally while rooted locally is very important. After acquiring Youbibi in 2014, Skyscanner invested heavily in technology development and product improvement. In February 2015, Skyscanner launched its new website, which saw a 50% increase in monthly visits compared to nearly three months prior in the previous year. The recently launched all-in-one app "Skyscanner Trips" combines Skyscanner’s three separate apps for flights, hotels, and car rentals, and adds new vacation and attraction ticket products.Theall-new one-stop app not only integrates Skyscanner’s global resources for flights, hotels, and car rentals abroad, but also includes the domestic travel resources previously under Youbibi. The new all-in-one app is named "Skyscanner Trips" and is now available for download on major app stores.
Theall-new one-stop app still focuses primarily on its international resources, supplemented by domestic ones, with its main goal being to capture the outbound travel market. Currently, Skyscanner covers millions of routes from thousands of airlines. Industry insiders point out that Skyscanner’s vast data will offer Chinese outbound travelers more choices, especially in its competitively strong flight products, which are expected to become the preferred flight comparison platform for Chinese outbound travel.
Skyscanner Trips
A spokesperson from Skyscanner’s marketing and PR department stated: "More and more people in China are preferring to book or browse travel products on mobile devices, and we are very excited about the huge potential in the future, especially in the mobile space. From a growth perspective, the most important thing is that, rather than simply pursuing growth, we are currently more focused on the product. We want the product to better meet the needs of Chinese consumers, and after that, our growth will be very significant."
Skyscanner also said,overall,one of the company’s main goals is to allow people to plan their trips anytime, anywhere, in the way they prefer. Skyscanner has spent years dedicated to internet experience, but as a mobile technology-driven company, it will continue to provide mobile applications and products optimized for mobile use.One of its primary goals is to enable people to plan their trips anytime, anywhere, in the way they prefer. Skyscanner has spent years dedicated to delivering a great internet experience. As a mobile-first company, it will continue to provide mobile apps and mobile-optimized products.