The future of the tourism industry is in your pocket.
Mirroring the mad dash a dozen years ago to erect websites, resorts and other tourism businesses around the world today are assembling mobile applications — called apps — that put reams of information, announcements and even purchasing power in smartphones. As the number of smartphone users soars — from 50.9 million in 2008 to 85.5 million in 2010 to an expected 142 million in 2014, according to research firm — the mobile app is becoming the new mandatory tool for the tourism industry.
“I think it’s going to change this business more than anything else,” said Terry Jones, founder of Travelocity and chairman of during a presentation at last week’s Mountain Travel Symposium at Beaver Creek.
reports 5.3 million downloads of its travel app, which allows users to find the best prices for travel. In Colorado, more resorts and chambers are joining the app bandwagon. Ski companies like Vail Resorts and Aspen Skiing offer apps to visitors who demand instant information and access on their phones.
“Apps are the most dominating conversation I have around the world,” said Michael McDermott, who as vice president of sales, marketing and product management for Avon-based Resort Technology Partners helps destination resorts around the planet develop tech-tool offerings. “It is the next evolution of what we started with the Internet. I fundamentally see this changing everything.”
RTP last week announced the latest iteration of its popular resort-centric mobile apps with Live Pass. After a deep breath, McDermott called his Live Pass app “the first fully integrated ticketing, commerce, promotional, social, personal-tracking app on the market.”
The free Live Pass app is being tested by Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort, where season-pass holders can have their phones scanned for lift access. The app allows skiers to track vertical feet and speed as well as get updates on weather, grooming and lift operations. They can also post photos and comments directly to Facebook and Twitter using the Live Pass app. The app will allow users to rent gear, buy meals and basically handle all their booking and buying through their phones.
One of the more successful apps in the ski resort world is Vail Resorts’ Epic Mix, which has been downloaded by one in five Epic Pass holders.
Working across all connected devices — like the iPhone, Droid, BlackBerry mobile phones as well as tablets, laptops and traditional desktops — the released-last-fall Epic Mix app marries social networking with personal performance and radio-frequency tracking technology.
The company designed their own app, instead of going with a program used by other resorts.
“We wanted something truly unique for us,” said Vail Resorts Interactive Director Mike Slone.
Next year, Slone said, his company’s capture-connect-share app will add more functionality and allow users to check live snow reports, live weather and traffic cams and become an informational tool, even if the user doesn’t have an Epic Pass.
With the sector still in its infancy, mobile apps are constantly changing.
Originally, ‘s Jones said, his company planned for its app to be used mostly spontaneously to sate travelers’ increasing appetite for instant information.
“But they are using it like a desktop and they are booking 2 1/2 weeks out,” Jones said.
Mobile apps are just another tool for reaching customers, but they’re the most communal tool you can use, said David Amirault, interactive-marketing director for Aspen Skiing Co. His company’s app works with Twitter and Facebook to “fit into existing digital lives,” he said.
“People are absorbing information in different ways, through different devices. This is just another way for us to connect. We are building a different window for people to look at our information,” Amirault said.
Visit Denver last year launched its first-ever app and has seen the 2,000-listing visitor-friendly app downloaded more than 27,000 times. The app lists events, attractions, eateries, hotels and shopping spots, with updated bargains, maps, photos and videos as well as the ubiquitous Facebook and Twitter connections.
Mobile traffic to Visit Denver’s website has grown to 10 percent of the visitor bureau’s overall online traffic, doubling in the past year. Rather than inspire travel, which ranks as Visit Denver’s primary task, the app helps the bureau guide a visitor’s experience.
“It’s a new frontier,” said Justin Bresler, Visit Denver’s vice president of marketing and business development. “It allows us to push deeper into the visitor experience.”
Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374 or jblevins@denverpost.com
