SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Sep 16, 2015) - A new survey conducted by HotelTonight, the world's leading hotel booking app, found that Hispanics continue to lead mobile usage when it comes to travel inspiration, research and booking. The HotelTonight survey of 1,600 US smartphone owners, ages 21-54 who have booked travel online in the past 12 months, aims to build a deeper understanding of how people, particularly Hispanics, are using mobile channels to access travel resources and information. The survey found more than half (51 percent) of Hispanics are likely to research travel plans including flights, hotels and activities on their smartphones, compared to just 40 percent of non-Hispanics, which presents a significant opportunity for the travel and lodging industries.
As research studies have shown1, Hispanics are turning to their mobile devices more frequently than PC, and this is true for travel: more than half (52 percent) of Hispanics surveyed said they turn to their smartphones rather than their laptops for travel inspiration, compared to just 40 percent of non-Hispanic respondents. In addition, Hispanics who travel frequently are more likely to book a hotel using their smartphone when compared with non-Hispanic frequent travelers (65 percent vs. 57 percent). Collectively, the findings show that the majority (80 percent) of Hispanic last-minute travelers have booked a hotel room using their smartphone.
"The data supports what we already knew: the mobile revolution is changing the way we travel, with Hispanics leading this trend," said Sam Shank, CEO and co-founder of HotelTonight. "We believe that this trend will continue to grow at a rapid pace as more people embrace spontaneity and leverage the power of their smartphone. Regardless of whether it's an impulse stay or a planned trip, apps like HotelTonight provide a great way for scoring a deal for the discerning spontaneous traveler."
The survey also found that the majority (68 percent) of Hispanics consider themselves "very" or "somewhat spontaneous," and among Hispanic millennials, more than two-thirds (76 percent) identified as such. More than half (57 percent) of Hispanic respondents also agree that last-minute travel is a great way to score a deal.
Hispanic Travel: Additional Facts and Preferences
In addition, the survey found:
- 70 percent of Hispanics have booked a hotel room within a week of arrival in the last year, and 16 percent booked same-day.
- The majority of Hispanics (57 percent) favor spending money on travel vs. purchasing items.
- Hispanic millennials are more likely to spend a single night in a nearby city once a week or more when compared with non-Hispanic millennials (14 percent compared with 8 percent).
- Hispanic frequent travelers are more likely to book a staycation in their city or a nearby city within 24 hours of their trip, when compared with non-Hispanic frequent travelers (44 percent compared to 33 percent).
Survey Methodology:
HotelTonight worked with a third party sample provider to conduct a survey of 1,000 U.S. smartphone owners, ages 21-54, who had booked travel online in the past 12 months with an additional oversample of 600 acculturated U.S. Hispanics. The unbranded survey was hosted via third-party platform Qualtrics and was conducted between August 17th and August 20th, 2015. Results were weighted as needed for age and gender to reflect the composition of the US population for ages 21 to 54.
About HotelTonight
Founded in 2010, HotelTonight is a mobile app for booking hand-selected hotels at exclusively low prices, from same-day to up to seven days in advance. HotelTonight helps consumers plan less and live more, by offering incredible convenience and amazing value at hotels vetted by the HotelTonight team. HotelTonight partners with hotels to fill rooms that would otherwise remain empty. HotelTonight is currently available in more than 1900 destinations across the globe, including Europe and Latin America. Based in San Francisco, California, HotelTonight is backed by top venture firms, including Coatue Management, GGV Capital, U.S. Venture Partners, Accel Partners, Battery Ventures, First Round Capital and leading travel-industry pioneers. Visit www.hoteltonight.com for more information and to download the free app.
1 Pew Research Center, April 2015, "Racial and ethnic differences in how people use mobile technology": http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/30/racial-and-ethnic-differences-in-how-people-use-mobile-technology/