In the first half of 2015, the age-defining shift from desktop to mobile and tablet devices continued its rigorous pace: more than 21% of online bookings and nearly 19% of roomnights are generated from non-desktop devices (smartphones + tablets), while 54% of web visitors and nearly 40% of page views come from tablets and mobile devices (HeBS Digital Research).

According to Google Research, nine out of ten people are “cross-device” Internet browsers and researchers, using multiple devices sequentially (moving from one device to another at different times). Smartphones are by far the most common starting point for sequential activity: 65% of users start their research on a smartphone and 60% continue on a desktop device. As an example, 55% of users use multiple screens sequentially when researching pricing information in travel.

The explosion of cross-device user engagement presents a monumental challenge to hotel marketers: creating and managing a digital presence across three distinct distribution and marketing channels (desktop, tablet and mobile), and engaging this new cross-device travel consumer at every “touch point.” Hoteliers must invest in and take advantage of this rapidly developing multi-channel, multi-device world.