Net Affinity Unveils Hotel Mobile Barometer to Track Mobile Booking Trends

Net Affinity, a leading hotel technology provider, has introduced a new tool called the Hotel Mobile Barometer. This innovative solution enables hotels to monitor and compare their mobile booking performance against national averages in the UK and Ireland.

With forecasts from Statista predicting that UK m-commerce retail sales will exceed £100 billion by 2025 and the widespread adoption of mobile devices—nearly universal among those aged 16-54—Net Affinity’s barometer comes at a crucial time. Data from Ireland also highlights a high level of mobile connectivity, surpassing 100% of the population due to multiple connections per person.

William Cotter, founder and managing director at Net Affinity, explained that the barometer uses data from the company’s UK and Ireland clients for 2024 to offer benchmark statistics. He stressed the importance of comparing individual hotel performance against competitors and delving into detailed data to understand market positioning better.

Historical data from Net Affinity, dating back to 2014, shows a significant rise in mobile usage up to 2019, after which growth stabilized with seasonal and economic variations. Recent data from January to June 2024 reveals that mobile bookings account for 65% of reservations in the UK and 59% in Ireland. However, desktop bookings still command a higher average value—13% more in the UK and 17.5% more in Ireland—primarily due to longer stays booked by international customers.

The barometer highlights the increasing importance of the mobile booking path and user experience. Factors such as star rating, property type, and marketing activities also play crucial roles in mobile booking success. Net Affinity’s tool emphasizes the need for hotels to enhance mobile platforms to capture high-value bookings and support seamless customer experiences from initial research to final reservation.