Impact of Mobile Applications in Changing the Tourist Experience

The trend toward the use of mobile devices in the tourism industry is very marked. According to Mobile Travel Trends 2019, 61% of travellers ‘nearly always’ or ‘sometimes’ use a smartphone app to book a flight, and 62% of travellers agree that being able to book hotels on travel apps is essential. E-tourism was born precisely from this trend of bringing ICT and tourism together and can be defined as digitising all processes and value chain inherent to tourism (Werthner & Klein, 1999). E-tourism thus represents a changing paradigm in the sector that has revolutionised business processes, the value chain, and strategic relations between the different actors in the process.

Smartphones have transformed consumers’ behaviours (Emek, 2014), as they are now more connected, anytime and anywhere. The capabilities of the new smart-phones support thousands of applications and extend their functionality widely (Wang et al., 2012). They quickly were used as a travel tool and in tourism information research and travel planning (Hsu & Lin, 2015; Tan, 2017).

As they contain many of the same components as personal computers, it is possible to customise and update smartphones to meet diverse individual needs (Rakestraw et al., 2013). It is also possible to access a wide range of services, such as personalised information search, networking, and navigation (Wang et al., 2012). For users, smartphones are not only communication devices, but a continuation of their personality and identity as human beings (Persaud & Azhar, 2012).

By 2011, it was anticipated that mobile services and applications, which were then emerging, would represent significant value in the digital market, and many predicted that they would quickly overtake the use of more traditional desktop applications (Portolan et al., 2011), with consumers emphasising the easy-to-use features from mobile apps (Tan, 2017).

In the following years, with the growth in the use of smartphones and mobile applications, this market segment became one of the greatest successes in the history of consumer technology (Kennedy-Eden & Gretzel, 2012), with the majority of the consumers being bold, venturesome, and willing to experiment with innovations (Tan, 2017).

This evolution was made possible because users of new technologies quickly took to new concepts and services as a reflection of their effectiveness in performing daily tasks. As such, the integration of smartphones into daily habits has produced a spillover effect. They become part of all spheres of consumer life, both professionally and personally, and are integrated into even the most routine tasks of daily life such as shopping, information search, or daily commuting. That has, therefore, also influenced tourist behaviour (Wang et al., 2014), bringing a wide range of changes to the industry (Mo Kwon et al., 2013).

Given the nomadic characteristics of tourism, mobile technology allows excellent flexibility for the industry and travellers themselves, beyond the reach of a mere information channel (Oh et al., 2009). The use of smartphones has made it possible to enjoy a wide range of services. The use of technology in all journey phases indicates that consumers are well informed and more involved, acting as their own travel agents to build individualised travel packages (Werthner & Ricci, 2004). Faced with this reality, the industry needs to understand the current state of the art of this market and identify possible business opportunities (Kennedy-Eden & Gretzel, 2012).

An example of this reality is the acceptance of MTAs, which is generating unprecedented changes in the functioning of the travel industry and the way people travel (Lu et al., 2015). The applications are launching a new way of using mobile devices on the move, which has become known as m-travelling and is defined as the use of applications developed for mobile devices and supporting tourists in their travel and activities in a particular place (da Silva & da Rocha, 2012).

For this reason, mobile phones are changing the tourist landscape and the modus operandi of destinations, attractions, and traditional sources of tourist information, which seek to meet the evolving needs of tourists, requiring high-speed access to relevant information and multimedia content (de Pablos et al., 2011).

Among the many benefits of applications, access to exclusive services made possible by mobile technology, which allow for highly interactive user experiences, stands out (Yu, 2013). Smartphones also enable tourists to instantly access information on the different variables that affect their trip: weather, accommodations, attractions, and transportation (No & Kim, 2014). Through mobile applications, they have access to a wide variety of information, enabling them to solve problems effectively, share their experiences, and store memories (Wang et al., 2012). Access to these sources of information and research has led to changes in perceptions and behaviour, emphasising increased flexibility, more significant and less planning, and increased travel (Wang et al., 2016).

The feeling of (in)security is essential for smartphone and MTA users and several other needs and desires from the way they experience travel (depending on the experience). The value of time and money is also significant for these consumers, and there will be more emotional decision making when a consumer is under pressure (Buhalis, 2003).

In this sense, we can conclude that the needs of travellers regarding the use of smartphones, and therefore of MTAs, are closely related to perceived utility; that is, convenience, effectiveness, and productivity (Kim et al., 2008). Smartphones are travel companions that accompany and assist tourists, making their experiences more enjoyable (Tussyadiah & Wang, 2016).

There are other perspectives regarding smartphone usage motivations, including their ability to support tourists on the trip and at their destination (Höpken et al., 2010). Different authors have reached similar conclusions. Okazaki et al. (2015) concluded that the primary motivations for using MTAs are speed and access to information; finding engaging experiences, accommodations, and restaurants; and getting feedback or taking immediate action, as travellers need timely information. Wang et al. (2014) identified 12 motivations, where social interactions, fun, keeping in touch and keeping informed, finding restaurants, and staying safe were highlighted.

Buhalis and Costa (2006) systematised these motivations in line with the three stages of tourism consumption (Figure 1). In the preconsumption stage, the user wants to plan, format the expectations for the next trip, make decisions, make transactions, and make his or her anticipations. In the consumption phase, the most important factors are the connection, navigation, short-term decision-making process (e.g., finding a restaurant), and on-site transactions. Finally, in the postconsumption phase, which takes place right after the trip, the needs are to share and document experiences, activate the external memory, and relive the journey again.

Figure 1

The study focused on Portuguese tourists who use or have already used mobile travel applications at one or more stages. Considering that there are no national data on the number of tourists using mobile travel applications, the sample was defined based on the total number of Portuguese using smartphones, according to the Marktest telecommunications barometer (Grupo Marktest, 2018). The Marktest telecommunications barometer counted 6.5 million individuals who own a smartphone (as of July 2017). Male individuals have the highest smartphone penetration rate, along with young people (96.6% between ages 15 and 24) and the upper and middle classes (91.4%).

Based on the population identified, the objective was to work with a 95% confidence level and with a margin of error of 9.34 concerning the population, defining a sample collected from the 110 respondents.

The method of data collection was the survey through a questionnaire distributed and answered online. The questionnaire was developed through the Google Forms platform and shared in several Facebook groups related to tourism and travel. The selection of respondents was by convenience, as they were recruited by asking people who are present in specific tourism groups on Facebook; therefore it is not guaranteed that those who are not in the Facebook groups have an equal opportunity to respond. The questionnaire had closed-ended questions, limited to the answer options presented, and questions sorted according to a Likert scale with five options.

Considering the intention to assess the perception and attitudes of the Portuguese population regarding the use of MTAs, the questionnaire was structured in four sections: (1) knowledge and use, (2) motivations for use, (3) moments of use, and (4) degree of satisfaction, impact on experience, and value.

Some questions were designed to collect demographic data from respondents and two exclusion questions were included to select only people who had undertaken a leisure trip and used MTAs.

The main motivations for using travel apps (Table 1) are their performance (28%), satisfaction (23%), and perceived value (21%). These findings are also in line with previous studies, which stated that the needs of travellers concerning the use of smartphones are closely related to perceived utility; that is, convenience, effectiveness, and productivity (Kim et al., 2008; Okazaki et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2014).

The main benefits of MTAs (Table 2) are ubiquity, or access from any location (23%), immediate availability (21%), access to information (20%), and convenience (15%). Another benefit is organisation and planning capacity (12%), which validates the motivations identified, as it is possible to conclude that travellers seek solutions with immediate and functional responses, as well as facilitating the tasks associated with the planning phase that can be done during the trip, such as finding a restaurant or purchasing entrance to a monument or attraction.

The majority of respondents recognised the impact of using MTAs on the travel experience (Table 3). Of the respondents, 60.3% (has changed little, 4.5%; amended, 41.4%; it has changed a lot, 14.4%) admitted that it affected the experience somehow, and only 23.4% believed it had no impact.

Table 4 shows that the impact on the travel experience comes from the fact that the MTAs allow for better planning during the trip (27%) and greater convenience (18%). Also noteworthy are the security and connectivity factors, both with 11%. These figures confirm data from previous surveys that concluded that MTAs foster greater connectivity and access to information and increase the sense of security, ensuring more fun, less uncertainty, and less stress (Wang et al., 2014). On the other hand, they offer tourists the opportunity to enhance the experience of a destination by providing relevant and personalised information anytime and anywhere (Kramer et al., 2007).

These results are consistent with the issues raised by Wang et al. (2016): Tourists assume that smartphones have brought changes in the activities and emotions experienced, especially in the use of social apps. They allow users to maintain contact with their friends and families and increase levels of security. Another reason that leads tourists to use smartphones and directly affects their travel experience is the use of information services, such as Google Maps and Yelp, where mobile platforms are perceived as equivalent or even better performing than their website counterparts. This is also consistent with previous literature regarding the impact of technology and the potential that smartphones have to significantly influence the tourist experience (Yu et al., 2018). Neuhofer et al. (2013) indicated that over the past few years, experiences have considerably changed. Technology is an important factor in co-creating modern experiences in tourism and hospitality and a central element in adding a more personal touch, increasing interactions and engagement, building more meaningful relationships, and adding value to the global experience. For example, smartphones enable the tourism experience and the connection with locals, which offers tourists the opportunity to have meaningful and authentic experiences (Huang et al., 2017; Wang et al., 2012).

Mobile technology provides tools in a proactive, contextual, and personalised way, influencing tourist behaviour and improving their experiences (Tussyadiah & Wang, 2016). Thus, they play an essential role in helping tourists to manage their travel experiences more efficiently and effectively (Yu et al., 2018).

This study has several useful implications for researchers, application developers, travel organisations, and governments when rendering MTA services and disseminating information to their potential consumers. On the other hand, it also contributes to the growing literature on the MTA usage impact on tourism.

Several limitations warrant future research, however. First, this study was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, changing how people travel and, in many ways, the way people engage with new technologies. Thus, future research could consider the situation before and after COVID-19.

Also, this paper is focused mainly on issues related to the adoption of the technology and the impact on tourist experience. In carrying out a future study, it is suggested to consolidate, through the analysis in situ, the utilisation of travel apps and its implications for the travel experience locally. Future research should also seek to understand the interconnections between the interests of the tourism industry and the needs of customers, tourists, or tourism companies and organisations, an area of knowledge where experiences related to MTA will be increasingly multifaceted.