Why Hotel Apps Fail: Do Guests Actually Use Them?
Hotel mobile apps have not achieved the adoption many operators expected. Download friction, limited integration and guests’ preference for familiar tools such as WhatsApp, Google Travel and mobile web experiences are pushing hotels toward messaging platforms, QR codes and progressive web apps (PWAs) instead.
For years, the same message has been repeated at every hospitality trade fair and conference: digitalisation has arrived to transform the industry. And with it, hotels have invested millions in developing their own mobile applications. Apps that promise to enhance the guest experience, streamline processes, personalise service and, in some cases, even revolutionise the way guests interact with the hotel.
However, there is an obvious problem: nobody uses them. Or at least, not with the frequency or level of adoption hotels had expected. And that leads us to an uncomfortable question: do guests really need an app for every hotel they stay at?
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