Smartphone applications now make it possible to travel on a whim. Photo: CFP

Long and exhausting preparations can often take the joy out of travel. However, thanks to smartphones, people can arrange their routes via mobile applications.

Mobile application, as the name suggests, implies mobility. In this sense, traveling is intrinsically connected with these travel apps in that both of them can be realized in motion. According to a survey from CNIT Research, a Chinese IT research institution, the accumulative downloads of the two highest ranking travel apps developed by qunar.com and ctrip.com, have reached 111 million and 90.13 million respectively.

These mobile applications, with the advantage of convenience and accessibility, thoroughly outplay travel websites in their popularity. Customers take great pleasure in seeking e-coupons for scenic spots, as well as discounted air tickets. Just by several clicks, customers can now book hotels, buy tickets and rent a car for a reduced price.

For those who have an aversion to waiting in line, VIP treatment can also be provided at some scenic spots for customers who have booked tickets through these travel application programs.

Qyer.com initially started as an online community, and its popularity among young travelers has soared due to its large storage of travel information. By typing any city into the app, travelers can access mass amounts of pictures and descriptions of the scenic spots contributed by other tourists. A detailed route can be worked out in several minutes by reading the blogs of other travelers found on the app.

After the route is formulated, the next step is to find the discounted tickets for the scenic spots and transportation. Low-priced package tickets and discounted hotels abroad can also be booked via a cellphone. For those who are fond of road trips, qyer.com also offers the service of car renting in numerous major cities throughout the world.

By cooperating with the international companies like booking.com, qyer.com offers alluring prices for many overseas hotels. But it is definitely no easy job to provide well-rounded services covering all fields of tourism in any country of the world.

For instance, despite the cooperation with booking.com, many hotel discounts displayed on qyer.com have not been updated simultaneously on the app. With an attempt to cover its service across the world, the app developed by qyer.com fails to supply the customers with an abundant service, such as offering discounted tickets or car-rental services for each city.

Thus instead of focusing on outbound travelers like qyer.com, many other app developers are competing to exploit the domestic travel market.

For Chinese tourists who still prefer to travel domestically with less cost, travel app developers like qunar.com and ctrip.com have established partnerships with most hotel chains and youth hostels in China, as well as car renting companies and most airlines. These app developers provide all-covered tourism-related services for domestic travelers.

It might be hard to evaluate whether it is the right path for travel apps to provide all-inclusive services for customers rather than focusing on "travel" itself. But in today's modern travel industry, any travel app without comprehensive coverage runs the risk of losing its edge in this fiercely competitive industry.