The Adoption of Smartphone Applications by Airlines

The results show that the type of airline has a significant impact on its adoption of smartphone applications, and this paper serves as a guide for airline enterprises considering adopting this new technology to enhance future innovation and competitiveness.

Abstract

Given the increasing number of smartphone users worldwide, the use of applications as marketing tools can have a significant impact on the tourism industry. More tourism businesses, especially airlines, have begun using smartphone applications as a corporate marketing strategy to cater for customer needs. This article presents the findings of a study of the adoption of such applications in the airline industry. Data on 453 airlines were accessed to investigate whether the company provided smartphone applications and the influence on this decision of different characteristics (such as location and business coverage). The results show that the type of airline has a significant impact on its adoption of smartphone applications. This paper serves as a guide for airline enterprises considering adopting this new technology to enhance future innovation and competitiveness.