MOBILE APPLICATIONS FOR TOURISM. STUDY REGARDING THEIR USE BY ROMANIANS

• Main Author: TUTUNEA MIHAELA FILOFTEIA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academica Brâncuşi 2016-08-01
• Series: Analele Universităţii Constantin Brâncuşi din Târgu Jiu : Seria Economie
• Subjects: mobile apps; tourism; mobile tourism; mobile devices; mobile users
• Online Access: http://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2016-04/10_Tutunea.pdf

The amazing development of the ICT industry and mobile technologies impressed a behavioural change and adaptation on individual and corporate users revealed at the level of current activities as well as in the consumer behaviours. Tourism industry has always been one of the most adaptable sectors, following the trends imposed by the two abovementioned industries. The increase in tourists’ mobility, users of mobile devices, also made necessary the adaptation of the distribution of tourism products and services and their redirecting towards the mobile environment. Taking into account these aspects, the present study was conceived on two levels. The first level identifies important aspects of mobile applications in general, by types and classifications, as well as presents a concise static image of them at global level. It also describes aspects related to mobile applications dedicated to tourism as offers to mobile device users. The second level comprises the study regarding the usage of tourism-specific mobile applications by Romanian mobile device users. The results of this study indicate the profile of the tourist-user of mobile devices from Romania, captured on three levels, namely: a socio-demographic profile, a mobility profile and a tourism-related mobile application user profile. We consider that these results provide useful information to companies belonging to the tourism and software industries, as well as indie developers of mobile applications, and users of mobile devices.