Recent research reports reveal that the popularity of mobile channels will continue to increase in the coming years, as it has become a significant aid in this fast-paced and competitive sector. The predictions by IDC show that by 2015, the sale of smartphones will attain the magic figure of 982 million, while the number of web users on mobile will exceed desktop internet users by 2014, according to Morgan Stanley. 

Some of the emerging trends in mobile industry and the marketing opportunities associated with them in the travel industry are: 
- Smartphones will continue to stay: With the increasing demand of smartphones, it can well be said that smartphones will increasingly be used for hotel booking. Bookings made via a mobile device will surpass the number of booking made through PC. It is believed that smartphonea, will very soon become the new laptop and the hotel industry is also ready to reap the benefit of the emerging trend. For a range of firms, the mobile channel has already become a travel planning and hotel distribution channel.

- Use of smartphones in M-Commerce: There are only a handful of smartphone users who utilize mobile phones to shop, pay bills and make transactions, but the situation is changing fast, since the mobile users are becoming highly comfortable with their phone for commerce.  

- The Merging of Social, Local and Mobile has potential: The continued development in social, local and mobile presents a host of opportunities to  travel providers. Firms like HotelTonight and Uber have accepted mobile as a new medium with an entirely new user dynamics for travellers explorring new cities.