Phocuswright Europe conference: bookingkit wins innovator award

Less than 25% of the experience sector, estimated at $130 billion worldwide, is digitised, and therefore reliable market statistics are difficult to come by. At the Phocuswright Europe week in Amsterdam, bookingkit, the online booking and management solution for activity providers, presents fascinating facts and current trends in the leisure industry in Germany and received the prestigious award for “European Travel Innovator of the year”.
This week the American market research company Phocuswright has for the first time issued invitations to a European Conference in Amsterdam. bookingkit, the German market leader in booking and management software for activity providers, was there and was top ranked in the category “European Travel Innovator of the year”. Twelve innovators took the stage to demonstrate groundbreaking applications and solutions that are set to change the travel industry. The EMEA Travel Innovator of the Year winner are chosen by a panel of judges comprised of travel and technology experts.
The presentation of bookingkit founder Lukas C. C. Hempel can be found here.
“As the research we presented today shows, Europe is ahead of the curve in mobile and technology adoption,” said Phocuswright’s manager, research and innovation, Michael Coletta. “We were delighted to feature a diverse set of innovators from around the continent who are applying cutting-edge technologies and bringing new ways of thinking to tackle challenges across hospitality, tours, transportation and media. We look forward to seeing how they evolve and have a real impact on how we travel.”
“We are very proud of this international award as it shows the relevance of our product in the travel industry,” said Lukas C. C. Hempel, CTO and CFO of bookingkit. The company also used this occasion to published its latest market figures:
The majority of customers in German-speaking countries book their leisure activities at the weekend. They generally decide to book an experience on Saturdays during the late afternoon to early evening (2pm to 6pm). The average German books one month in advance, spends around €110 on an activity, and has a tendency to pay online (Q1 2017 around 60%). The preference is still to book directly on a home computer, but mobile phones are rapidly catching up. Only every tenth person books via their tablet. With bookingkit’s complete solution, availability can be displayed weeks in advance. Integrated payment solutions, such as direct debit, PayPal, credit card and direct bank transfers make secure online payment transactions possible. Additional sales tools, such as discount promotions, special mailshots and giveaways at public holidays all help to increase repeat bookings. The design, which is optimised for mobile phones, means that providers no longer miss out on customers, regardless of which devices they use to book.
According to bookingkit, Live Exit Games/Escape Rooms are currently conquering the German experience market – they are becoming increasingly professional and creative, and in terms of bookings are outstripping established sectors. Break out of prison, solve or prevent a crime: in Escape Games, groups attempt to solve puzzles within a specified time inside an “escape room”, and can then escape. bookingkit offers the simplest solution for digitising the whole business operation, designed specifically for this segment and which is currently developing further. One trend observed by bookingkit Managing Director Lukas C.C. Hempel is the use of virtual reality glasses. The provider EXIT LIVE ADVENTURES, based in Berlin, is a pioneer in this, and from 20 May 2017 will bring virtual Escape Games to Germany. Each of the two to six players can see, hear and move just as they would in a Live Escape Game room, and solve real puzzles which are linked to limitless 3D worlds through the use of virtual reality glasses. bookingkit is assisting and supporting EXIT LIVE ADVENTURES in expanding its business with the “44 Minute Adventure” developed in Berlin, and has been on board with this innovation from the outset. Germans spend on average €147 to hire leisure equipment, such as boats, and take part in workshops and courses, and for culinary experiences €134 on average. For activities in the Wellness & Lifestyle sectors, the amount is around €87.
bookingkit is also observing enormous growth in providers of “jump houses” – trampoline halls, in which all ages can improve strength, balance, skills and speed. “This trend has come over from the USA, and is spreading like wildfire in Germany,” comments Lukas C.C. Hempel, founder and Managing Director of bookingkit. “We see great potential in this area.” Many “jump houses” in Germany already use bookingkit technology.