Here are 6 great reasons why you should use your smart phone when travelling:-

Peace of Mind

With the increase in the use of mobile technology, many hotels and other Points of Interest are choosing to develop and implement the use of mobile applications.  This can not only assist when you are booking tickets or accommodation but can also offer peace of mind; use of a hotel app could allow you to see exactly where you will be staying, you don’t need to worry about losing printed out confirmation slips as everything is digitised and you have all the relevant information to hand on arrival.  You can even book flights on mobile apps now and use scanners at the airport rather than having to pick up or print out tickets.  It means that as long as you have your smart phone with you, you will always have access to booking confirmations and tickets.

Great Quality Photos

The majority of smart phones now have high quality cameras installed and this means that you can capture some stunning images without having to worry about carrying a whole load of heavy camera equipment around with you.  Even the invention of the selfie stick has provided a small, lightweight and convenient way to take photographs with you in them without the need for a hefty tripod or a helpful passer-by.  You will even find that the resolution of the pictures themselves are pretty good once you return home, if you wanted to print them out and blow them up for example.  Many smart phones offer different filters which can be applied as well for added enhancement which you might find useful if you want to share you photos as you travel with people back home.

Quick Access to Information

Whether you need to find out your exact location in regards to the Montcalm hotel you have booked or you want to look at day excursions from your chosen destination, having access to your smart phone means that you have access to a whole wealth of information, right at your fingertips.  The majority of good hotels offer free access to wireless internet too so you shouldn’t find yourself faced with ridiculous roaming fees if you are travelling internationally either.  There are various apps which can be useful when travelling from apps which provide you with a list of items to pack to GPS maps featuring Points of Interest and all sorts in between.  When people claim ‘there’s an app for everything’ it really does ring true.

Sharing Your Journey

If you want to be able to share pieces of your journey as you go along then having your smart phone with you is the perfect way to do this.  You might want to showcase your superior room in one of the Montcalm Luxury hotels or share the stunning sunset image you captured whilst out one evening; whatever the reason for wanting to share, having access to your smart phone means immediate access to the social network platforms from which to broadcast your beautiful travelling photos with just one click.  Being able to share your travelling journey is one of the elements which makes travel so fun; there are numerous hashtags which are used and which allow other travellers to connect to form a community filled with inspirational shots and injections of wanderlust.  You could be a part of that by using your phone to share your captures and if you’ve used your phone to take the photographs in the first place then uploading them could really not be easier; all the apps are free to download and install and are very user-friendly for those who aren’t already familiar with them.

Mobile Entertainment

If you have a long connecting flight or a delayed train, or you simply head back to your hotel and have a few hours to kill then you can use your phone to keep yourself entertained.  You could watch a film or listen to music, read a book or simply flick through the photographs and videos you have taken that day.  You might want to download any movies ahead of time to save on data charges but once they are on your phone you are free to watch them whenever you have a slot of time to fill.

Travelling Light

If you are taking advantage of the many cheap flights which are available and you don’t want to pay for hold luggage then leaving your larger camera equipment at home is a must and having a good smart phone will allow you to do that.  Great quality photos and videos can be captured using your phone meaning you can travel lighter and easier during your trip.  You won’t be compromising on quality either in the resolution of the picture or in terms of sound either if you wanted to film parts of your video.  You can even download editing apps so you can leave your laptop at home if you want to edit on the go too.

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For this reason alone the way they choose to plan their breaks is something to pay attention to; however, if you haven’t yet come across the Millennial traveller then here are 5 basic things to understand:-

Their influence

It isn’t just the fact that such a large proportion of them are travelling which gives the Millennials a whole heap of influence (although this certainly plays a part) but more the way they choose to share their trips and experiences with the world.  The boom in social media means that we can virtually travel along with people from the comfort of our own homes.  Through these various platforms we can visually see what is happening; the good and the bad and perhaps be inspired to book our own trip as well.  Many Millennial travellers love to tell their story and so will look for those ‘money’ shots of stunning landscapes, sunsets and cityscapes which they can share with a wider audience.

Beyond this, there is an increasing rise in travel blogs, sharing the ins and outs of world travel and with this comes a great responsibility and sway as well.  A company’s reputation could rise or fall just off the back of one bloggers experience so it is well worth paying attention to what they are saying.  Millennials are much more likely to review their experience than the older generation whether that’s via a third party website such as Trip Advisor or just sharing on their own social media accounts.  In turn they are also far more likely to research other people’s opinions of a place or a hotel before heading out there themselves and a large portion of them would never book either a trip or a hotel without first seeing what other people were saying about it.

Their love of travel

Research suggests that Millennials don’t just see travel as an interesting pastime but as something they value almost as highly as their personal possessions.  They love to travel and it is something which features regularly in their daily lives, whether that’s planning a trip, sharing photos on social media of past trips or actively travelling.  Everywhere you look in a Millennial’s life you will find chatter about travel and this really contributes to the way in which they go about booking their experiences, from the use of technology such as via a hotel app to the level of luxury they expect whilst holidaying.  When we talk about travel we don’t just mean long haul journeys either; a Millennial considers a short weekend break just as important as a fortnight abroad.  It is much more about the overall experience than just the physical act of travelling somewhere new.

The way they travel

The Millennial generation believes heavily in a good work-life balance and whilst they do often seek the sun on their travels this doesn’t make up the primary reason for their journeying.  It mostly comes down to finding adventure, to pushing the boundaries and seeking out an authentic and genuine experience in the country they have chosen to visit.  That said, as children of the technology-era they also expect to be able to book and organise things quickly and at the click of a button.  They are much more likely to use their smart phones or tablets to make a booking via the likes of a luxury hotel app and they expect things to be easy, straightforward and immediate.  Whilst a Millennial will spend a good deal of time researching and planning out their trip, they also don’t necessarily want to have every last detail sorted out for them.  Often they will plan the ‘big’ stuff such as travel and accommodation but decide on the finer details such as day trips and adventures when they have arrived.  They will almost certainly expect to be able to use their mobile phones and smart devices to book this and they will want the option of being able to sort this out on the spot quickly and efficiently.  Digital tickets, digital confirmations and ‘apps’ are all key parts of hooking a Millennial and making sure they visit your establishment.

Their spending habits

As we mentioned above, Millennials are much more willing to invest their hard earned money in a good travelling adventure and they see the entire thing as a very worthwhile endeavour.  Although they will spend time hunting out a good bargain this is not the same as being ‘cheap’ and many Millennials are very willing to spend that little bit extra in order to secure a luxury experience.  What a Millennial wants is to know that when they spend their money, they are getting a good return on the investment and their spending habits are driven by their other travelling behaviours.  They want a highly rated trip, with good reviews, unique experiences and at the best price they can secure it for.  Understanding this is key to knowing how the Millennials will choose to spend their money and what they will choose to spend it on.

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