Recognizing that visitors are increasingly using their smartphones to search for and arrange travel plans, the Las Vegas travel site created the app to meet the needs of travelers. In addition to being able to book hundreds of Las Vegas hotels, the app also enables users to book shows, tours and nightclubs while on the go.

“Vegas.com has had a mobile Web site for a number of years, providing customers with an easy way to research and book Las Vegas,” said Bryan Allison, chief operating officer of Vegas.com, Henderson, NV. “But a number of consumers asked us why we could not provide the same functionality through an app, so this was really led by customer interest.

“We have seen decent downloads during our soft launch period, so it appears the demand is truly there,” he said.

Booking a trip
The app is designed to enable users to plan and book a complete trip to Las Vegas using their smartphone.

It features an easy-to-use browsing and booking process enabling users to search for hotels and shows based on name, price, travel dates and customer recommendation.

Additionally, customers can book air and hotel packages by searching price, duration or departure time.

The app also features photos, descriptions, maps and customer ratings for hotels, shows and other attractions.  

Users will be able to save up to 50 percent on Las Vegas hotel rooms with exclusive Vegas.com deals.

By using the app to book show tickets, users will be able to book same-day show tickets, get mobile exclusive deals, find tickets by date, categories and show name as well as sort by price, show name and locations.

Users can also choose a flight by price, duration or departure time.

The app can also be used to reserve a tour or buy nightclub passes, with users able to access mobile exclusive deals on tours and nightclubs, book same day Front of the Line passes and VIP packages at popular Las Vegas clubs, reserve a Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam or Las Vegas Strip tour.

Once customers make a selection, they enter their personal information or access their Vegas.com profile if they already have one, and then provide payment.

The app is available for iOS and Android devices.

National advertising
The app joins the mobile site launched by Vegas.com in 2011. Last summer, Vegas.com reported that 75pc of mobile site bookings happen within three days of a stay, pointing to mobile being used for last-minute bookings (see story).

To make consumers aware of the new app, Vegas.com is tagging its national broadcast campaigns, running out-of-home and print advertising and calling out the app on its Web site, in outbound e-mails, on its social media channels and in display ads on other mobile Web sites.

“One of the main things we never forgot was that while today’s smartphones are small computers, they are also still a phone,” Mr. Allison said. “Some customers will have questions that won’t be answered by the app, so we have prominent placements that allow them to quickly make a toll-free call to our 24-7-365 contact center, located right here in Las Vegas.

“Because our staff lives here, they have seen the shows, they have dined at the restaurants and stayed in the resorts – we are here to help answer questions, whether it is about a product or just a question about the city,” he said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York