Webbybutter is presenting this blog exclusively for travel organizations and businesses that are looking to build their customized travel application. We are a travel app development company that will provide you with the best solution for your travel business or travel app idea.

 

So even if you are new to the travel business or thinking to hop into the travel business, this blog will guide you in the best possible way.

 

Travel App Industry Statistics

Well, you can’t just jump into any market without knowing its trend. Well, according to Statista, the total revenue of the Travel app industry segment is about to reach $364 in 2022. Also, the revenue change has increased to 23% in the year 2022. In short, the travel industry is consistently growing, and it’s not too late to open up your travel business.

 

Before we start with travel app development, let’s cover some basics of travel business operations.

 

Travel Business Operations

If you are a well-established travel agency you can skip this part and move on stepwise guide on travel app development. If not, you can continue reading and get an insight into starting your own Travel business.

 

✦ Find your Niche

When you decide to open up your travel agency, it’s important to find a travel niche that you are passionate & knowledgeable about. This is the first step towards building your travel and tourism business.

 

✦ Investment and Partnership

Having a great idea isn’t going to cut it. You need someone to share your vision or say perspective in order to kick-start your business. Further, you must represent your idea in front of different investors to get some funding.

 

✦ Build your Marketplace

Once you have a partnership and enough funds build your marketplace. This platform must look professional and easily available to your customers.

 

✦ Unique Brand Impression

Nowadays, building a brand for any item or business is a common norm. Thus, you need to build a brand for your travel agency business to make a unique impression in your customer’s minds.

 

✦ Adapt according to your target market

While your travel agency business is new, sales might not be what you expected. So, it’s important to keep track of the latest trends of your target market. This will help you adjust your marketing strategies.

 

✦ Promotion

Promoting any business is challenging. There is a reason why only a few businesses dominate in the travel industry. Even if you are providing the best options compared to other agencies it won’t matter if you don’t promote it. So after a successful travel agency is set up, make sure you promote it to gain your customer base.

 

Once you match these criteria all you need is a travel application. But, how do travel apps work? What are the core features a travel app must have?

 

How do Travel Apps Work?

Travel agencies create travel apps for much more than listing hotels and restaurants. Still, providing their users with unique and engaging travel content remains their main objective.

 

The travel companies rely on- travel guides, ratings, and reviews from travelers and exclusive tours. As a result, by developing apps for traveling, travel agencies are providing an efficient tool for searching for tickets, their price or renting cars, and so on.

 

In short, a travel app works on travelers’ demands and provides all the relevant services.

 

Core features of a Travel app

Here is a checklist of MVP features of a Travel application:

 

1. Sign-up/ User Account

First-time users need to sign-up so that they can access other features such as Booking, Searching, or chatting. In short, for in-app features access user account is a must.

 

2. Search option

Users should get a search option to get better insights. This means finding a place to stay, budget, trip dates, people, and so on. Hence, the more complex the filters the more precise result a user gets.

 

3. Listings

Listings on a map will help users of the travel app see how far the hotel or restaurant is from the city center or nearest subway station.

 

4. Chat

An option to chat basically involves travelers and hotel representatives. Hence, while developing your travel app keep in mind the chat option. This eventually becomes a customer support feature where users can find answers to their queries.

 

5. Booking

The real-time booking feature allows users to book tickets, tours, or hotels in real-time. Further, they can also track service in real-time.

 

6. Reviews

Nowadays, reviews and feedbacks help a business understand their customer’s requirements. So, your travel application must ask for the user’s review after booking a ticket.

 

7. Push Notifications

Now, if you are wondering, how to create a travel app from scratch? You need to follow our stepwise guide on travel app development.

 

Stepwise Guide to Develop Travel Application:

Step #1 Define Objectives

You must define your travel app’s objectives. Because there are many travel businesses out there with whom you will compete. Therefore, make sure to complete the checklist for defining the objectives:

  • Your travel app idea must solve general problems that consumers face
  • Analyze your target audience
  • Define geography and overall demand
  • Strong research on competitors i.e. USP analysis
  • Check out the top travel applications in the market

Once you complete this checklist, you will easily define your travel app objectives. You are all set for the next step in travel app development.

Step #2 Marketing Research of Travel App Industry 

Thorough marketing research is an important step in order to develop a seamless traveling app. But the question remains, how to conduct detailed marketing research on the travel app industry?

 

Well, the basic step for thorough market research is to install the best traveling apps available and analyze their core features. So, doing this will give you an insight into how these traveling apps appeal to their target audience.

Step #3 Create a List of Core Features for your Travel Application

As mentioned earlier, your app requires some must-have features such as Signup, registration, booking, etc. Once, you check out other traveling apps you can decide which features to target.

 

Once you make the list of core features, for example, users account, in-app purchase, searching, maps, and filters you will get clarity. Further, you can use this list to see if there is room for advanced features. Advanced features will surely help you stand out in comparison to other traveler apps. 

 

Advanced features of a travel app

✦ Smart Voice search

This feature enhances the user experience. Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri help with voice search features in travel apps.

 

✦ Currency converter

While a user is on a trip, especially in a foreign location, the currency converter will help him/her exchange the currency. Hence, it is important to provide currency exchange in your travel application.

 

✦ Virtual Tour

This feature will allow your travelers to get a virtual tour of both destinations and hotels. This advanced feature may seem costly and ambitious, but with the help of emerging technologies such as AR and VR one can easily cover up the cost by profits.

 

✦ Itinerary Generator

Travel itinerary generator helps in creating a custom itinerary plan for the user. This process happens automatically via your travel app. Hence, this feature is in high demand and well-known travel services provide it.

 

✦ Geolocation integration

Geolocation integration is an important feature for a modern travel application. It helps travelers find nearby accommodation, cafés, restaurants, etc. using a GPS-based location service.

 

✦ Live weather

Travelers prefer knowing the weather condition for proper trip planning. Thus, it is essential for you to integrate the climate forecasting feature into your travel app.

Step #4 Consult and Hire the Best Travel App development Company

Once you execute the first 3 steps of travel app development, the next step gets simpler. In this step, all you need to do is hire a professional and experienced app development company like Webbybutter.

 

So you may be thinking why us?

 

Well for starters, we have prior experience in developing custom travel app solutions. Over the years we have been delivering custom mobile app solutions on time without any issues.

 

Even if your idea is tentative, Webbybutter’s full-stack development team will help you transform your idea into reality.

 

How will we approach the travel app development process?

We follow 6 basic steps in the app development process.

 

Step 1: Strategy

As soon as our team receives the objectives and strategic goals, we figure out the perfect process to sustain your idea and transform it into an application.

 

Step 2:  Analysis

In this step, we decide product roadmap for your travel app. Afterward, we form a team that will serve you the best.

 

Step 3: UI-UX design

The app designer for your travel app will create app designs to appeal to the end-user. The designing team will design your travel app with perfect visuals, color schemes, and Wireframing.

 

Step 4: App Development

Basically, this is the most critical step in any app development process. Here, the designs of your travel app get the interactive feature using both front-end and back-end technologies. To further enhance the performance of the travel application our team uses different APIs.

 

For better understanding, here is a list of Technology stacks for Travel App Development.

 

Front-End Development: Swift and Java

Web tools: JavaScript, Angular, Node

Testing tools: GitLab, Jira, Confluence

Third-party services and APIs:  Facebook, Google Sign-in, Google Maps API

 

Step 5: Testing

Once your travel app is ready our testing team thoroughly tests the application. Further to ensure top-notch quality we cover every possible test case and make sure that your travel application is bug-free.

 

Step 6: Deployment

Last, but a crucial step in travel app development. Because once the app is ready we deploy the travel application on App Store or Google Store. This step completes the app development process. Now, your traveler’s app is available to the end-user.

 

Step #5 promote Your App

After completion of Step 4, you are only missing only one thing i.e. promoting your application. Here are some tips to follow:

 

Tip #1 Follow Store Guidelines

While you deploy the travel application make sure you comply with both App Store and Google Store guidelines because ignoring any guideline can have an adverse effect on the promotion of your travel app.

 

Tip #2 Design an appealing Website and landing page

Just deploying the app won’t help. You need to create a website where customers can find out useful information regarding traveling or your business. If the landing page is appealing then surely users will get attracted and it will boost the number of downloads of your travel app as well.

 

Tip #3 Promote the app on Social media

Your travel app will have a better chance of exposure using social media platforms such as WhatsApp or Facebook. With proper promotion, you can acquire thousands of signups and conversions. In short, if you strategize your business will flourish.

 

Tip #4 Come up with a Smart Marketing Strategy

Create a sheet to plan and strategize your travel app marketing. To further stamp authority in the market, start creating and posting content such as videos blogs prior to your travel app launching.

 

These were the 5 steps of travel app development. Let’s see some of the well-known Mobile travel apps in the next section.

 

Types of Mobile Travel apps:

✦ Flight Booking Apps

In general, flight booking apps are useful in searching for flights. It also provides an instant booking price option or waiting for the desirable price. Users get notifications about when is the best time to buy. Example: Hopper.

 

✦ Accommodation Booking Apps 

This booking app provides users with millions of options for places to choose from. With searching flexibility a user can join a group or meet other people. Example: Airbnb

 

✦ Transport App

This type of traveling app uses Real-time data to find your ride. It also provides maps of the subway, offline tour guides, and Real-time predictions that tell you when your train, bus, subway, or taxi might arrive. Example: Transit

 

✦ Travel Guide 

This travel app searches for the best route for travelers. It has one-stop-shop mobility to compare fares instantly. Further, it provides offline traveling and also helps beat the rush hour by providing live ETA. Example: Citymapper.

 

You have the details of the travel app development i.e. steps, tips, and types. But, what is the cost of travel app development? Here is your answer:

 

In general, the cost for travel app development depends upon different factors like features, functionalities, and complexity. Even with this, it is quite challenging to calculate the exact cost of app development. But, an approximate cost for travel app development ranges from $5000 to $50,000.

 

Major factors that impact travel app development cost:

App platforms:  iOS and Android are the two major app platforms for travel apps development. Here you need to make sure that the travel app you develop is accessible. Hence, before choosing a particular app platform carry out thorough market research.

 

Team Structure for Mobile App Development: Your budget for travel app development relies majorly on team structure. So, if you hire a well-resourced company, you get end-to-end app development services with a proper team structure. This team includes skillful managers, designers, testers, and app developers.

 

Custom APIs: In order to fulfill the unique business requirements, it is necessary to develop custom APIs that suit the specific business needs. As a result, investing in custom API development will impact the overall budget.

 

Geography:  The country you choose for traveling mobile app development also increases the overall cost. For instance, the hourly rate of the app development company in Canada or the USA differs. So, according to the geographical choice, the budget of your travel app development will increase or decrease.

 

Let’s understand the price range of mobile apps for development based on their type, factors, per hour cost, and timeline.

 

✦ Basic Mobile Travel App

Timeline: 240-300 hours

Factors: 

  • 1000+ travel guides
  • Access plans and maps online
  • Purchase tours and tickets

 ✦ Advanced Mobile Travel App

Timeline: 400-600

Factors:

  • Discover travel recommended places nearby
  • Find the great deals from booking sites
  • Free cancellations

Complex Mobile Travel App

  • latest inventory
  • Pay at checkout
  • Check live running train status
  • Train, hotel, flight, cab, holiday package booking from the one app

FAQs

What is a Tourism App?

Tourism Apps is a mobile app that is useful for:

  • Planning travel
  • Booking tickets
  • Cab bookings
  • Route mapping etc.

How do I monetize my travel app?

On can monetize their traveling app by using different monetization methods such as advertising, Paid downloads, Premium, Paid subscription, etc.

 

What are the best apps for travelers?

Here are some of the best travel apps for travelers – Airbnb, GasBuddy, Roadtrippers, TripAdvisor, etc.

 

Travel App Development- Final Take

We hope that you found the stepwise guide on travel app development useful. We have tried to cover the majority of questions in travel app development. But, if you still have questions like how much does it cost to develop a travel app for iPhone, what is the duration of time for travel app development, or are travel apps profitable? Then definitely contact our expert.

 

Published On: May 24th, 2022 / Categories: App Development / Tags: /

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