Travel mobile app development can help your business break into the travel and tourism industry. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot of opportunity in the travel industry for mobile app development innovations. The days of travelers using a travel agency to make their accommodations are long gone. Today, most people prefer to make their plans online using web services and applications.
If you want to create a successful travel app, there are many different things to consider. However, first, you need to figure out what type of travel app you want to build. Luckily, several different types of mobile apps can succeed in the travel industry. This post will explore the different types of travel apps popular in the tourism industry and cover some key features you will want to include in your mobile app.
Popular Travel Mobile App Development Projects
One thing that makes the travel industry unique is that there is so much diverse potential for mobile and web apps to deliver impactful experiences to travelers. In addition, travel mobile apps don’t have to be confined to tracking domestic and international flights, even though flight tracking is a popular travel app feature that mobile app developers like to include in their projects.
Let’s review some of the most popular travel app development ideas. Some of these ideas are obvious, but others might surprise you.
- Travel planning
- Flight tracking
- Deal tracking
- Translation
- Currency conversion
- Travel security
- Virtual tours
Travel Planning
Travel planning mobile apps come in several different varieties. Some travel planning apps allow users to book flights, secure accommodations, rent cars, buy tickets to local attractions and events, or all of the above. Integrating services like VisaFly can streamline the travel experience, offering convenient solutions for visa requirements and travel documentation. Travelers are no longer using travel agents to plan and book their trips. Most travel planning today is done with a mobile app or website. There is no shortage of considerations that need to be planned for during a trip, so travel planning apps are very popular with users.
Flight Tracking
Flight tracking is an essential service for travelers because flight information often changes quickly. As a result, flight trackers make popular travel apps. Whether you are picking someone up from the airport, checking the details of your trip, or trying to find a quick flight to or from a specific destination, there are many times flight tracking proves helpful to travelers.
Deal Tracking
Travel is not always cheap. Travel apps that allow users to track deals on flights, hotels, car rentals, and more provide a valuable service. Travel apps don’t have to limit deal tracking to the immediate services related to travel. Giving users the ability to track deals at their destination can help them have a better trip and a more immersive local experience. For example, travel apps that want to help users track deals could share local restaurant and drink specials, discounts to local attractions, and more.
Translation
Translation mobile apps are valuable to travelers abroad. There are already some decent translation apps available, but HiTech advancements in natural language processing, Machine Learning, and AI should lead to opportunities to create more seamless translation apps. Another upside of translation apps is that you don’t need to be traveling to get value out of them.
Currency Conversion
Converting currencies can be a difficult task for travelers. If you don’t know the actual exchange rate at the moment, it will be hard for you to determine if you are getting a good deal on conversion. Currency conversion apps can show the real-time exchange rate between currencies and help users decide whether they are getting a fair rate from an exchange. A mobile app that allows users to view conversion rates can also help them budget their trip more accurately before they depart.
Travel Security
Security travel apps focus on keeping travelers safe while they are abroad. Travel security is a broad service. Before the COVID-19 pandemic changed travel for everyone, travel apps focused on security would provide users with safety notifications, emergency alerts and services, and record keeping. Now that the pandemic has completely upended the tourism industry, these travel apps have an opportunity to also share local COVID restrictions and requirements. Additional features of security apps include embassy, consulate, and emergency contact information.
Virtual Tours
You might think features like Virtual Reality would better serve a real estate or gaming app, but travel apps can benefit from this technology too. Travel mobile apps that provide virtual tours of museums, cities, and key attractions are popular because they give users a chance to get a feel for a place before they visit. Virtual tours help travelers, short on time, choose which spots they would like to see most.
Key Features for Travel Apps
The specific features that will fit your travel app might vary depending on the mobile app you want to create. However, these features are widely used in almost all travel apps because they provide critical services and information:
- Geolocation
- Account Registration
- Search
- Reviews
Geolocation
Every travel app should include geolocation features. Without geolocation services, your app won’t provide updates based on location, provide a map with navigation, or connect users to local businesses and attractions. Geolocation features are included in almost all modern mobile apps, but they are necessary for apps aimed at the travel industry.
Account Registration
Users should be able to create an account on your travel app. With an account, users can set specific preferences and alerts, save trip ideas, including payment information, and so much more. However, it is important to remember that users don’t like lengthy sign-up processes. So instead, give users multiple ways to register with your app, including their Google or Facebook accounts, to make the registration process fast and straightforward.
Search
The search function is essential to travel apps. Users don’t want to parse through every piece of information. Instead, they want to find the exact information they are looking for fast. Therefore, your app’s search feature should be easy to find and simple to use. The search bar may seem like a basic feature, but you must get the design right.
Reviews
User reviews are an important part of travel. Without reviews from other users, people won’t know if a restaurant is good or a hotel is clean. In addition, people rely on reviews to learn crucial details that are not shared in ads or public listings. If your travel app helps users find accommodations or other services, you should include a reviews feature. There are several different APIs that you could use to automatically populate online reviews from the leading Internet review platforms in your travel app.
Final Thoughts
The travel industry is ripe with opportunities for businesses to create a travel mobile apps. If you have an excellent idea for a travel app, speak with an experienced app development partner. An experienced partner will help your business make the right technical choices using experience and expertise to ensure the success of your travel mobile app development project.
