Booking.com has launched a new app for the growing number of customers who want to make last minute bookings from their mobile phone.
The app, which launched in the US earlier this month, goes live in the UK and other key markets this week.
Jason Grist, UK area manager, said it has been developed in response to an increase in demand in the last few years for accommodation bookings within 48 hours.
He said booking.com has seen a rise in the number of bookings coming from smartphones or tablets, which now account for one in three bookings.
Of these bookings, 50% are bookings for ‘today or tomorrow’.
"The experience of these people is completely different to those who are sitting at home looking to book months or a year ahead," he said.
Based on customer feedback, the app gives bookers the option to choose from a number of specific preferences in relation to quality, price range, number of people (one or two), whether they want breakfast, wi-fi, a restaurant and so-on.
Geolocation technology then determines the customer’s location and finds them the best match.
Preferences are stored, along with the payment details, so customers can potentially book a room in two taps.
However, if customers want to book a hotel for a later date, or are travelling with children for example, they have to switch to the regular booking.com website.
Grist said he believes more and more booking.com customers are booking at the last minute because they are increasingly confident in the online process.
"They know they can have the flexibility of being able to cancel and not having to pay until they check in" he said.
"Also, it’s a lifestyle choice, with more people planning not to plan."
But he denied that the availability of the technology was encouraging more people to book late, which could cause problems for hotels and other accommodation providers.
"At the same time, the long-term booking window is increasing, which is a real positive for hoteliers," he said.
"Unlike other last minute apps, which have a very limited number of hotels, all discounting, bookingnow is not a discounting app. If there is a discount, it will be on there, but customers will get a wide choice of options."
