Study of Consumer Perceptions and Usage of Travel Mobile Applications

Abstract

Mobile applications are software applications that are installed on handheld gadgets. Among varied mobile application categories Travel is 7th most downloaded app category as it offers range of features to its users. Significant increase in smartphone penetration in India has led to a rise in the usage of mobile apps across various categories, including travel. However, the utility and the motivations perceived by its user have seldom been addressed in a scientific manner. Prior empirical research regarding larger and finer-grained set of factors, which differentially influence travel mobile application users attitude and behaviour, was found to be lagging behind practice. Hence the study was proposed to understand Consumer Perceptions and Usage of Travel Mobile Applications. newlineThrough detail literature review, relating to travel mobile applications, various usability aspects like purpose, stages, benefits, devices, operating platforms etc., Demographics parameters like age, gender, work experience, education, annual income, profession, occupation and various determinants such as word of mouth, performance / expectancy, facilitating conditions / background factors, pricing, technology orientation, perceived value and perceived risks / limitations were identified. These aspects were operationalized and were tested for reliability. By adopting quantitative research approach, through structured questionnaire, 436 respondents (Travel Mobile Application Users) were studied as sample. The geographic scope of the study was restricted to Pune Metropolitan, located in state of Maharashtra, India. Exhaustive findings related to identified constructs and demographic variables were penned down. newlineModerate relation was found between travel mobile application users performance Expectancy, facilitating conditions / background factors, technology orientation and word of mouth, with travel mobile application users intention to use travel mobile applications and in turn usage.