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I thought this news was a good compliment to Jim's post about the growing popularity of Apple's App Store. As companies are increasingly looking for ways to deepen the digital relationship with consumers, birdsong gregory feels that building a useful, well-branded app for today's hungry legion of smartphone users is smart at a number of different levels, especially ROI. 

Check it out. Hilton Worldwide recently announced that it is launching the most comprehensive iPhone and iTouch applications in the lodging industry. The company unveiled the new applications across seven hotel brands including its Conrad, Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn brands in the United States.

The new applications have features that are a first for the hotel industry including a “Request Upon Arrival” service that enables a traveler to place an order for room service and have a meal in the guestroom upon arrival at the Hilton, Doubletree and Embassy Suites brands. The new applications also offer “e-check in,” a feature that provides remote check-in up to 48 hours in advance.

The announcement comes as the industry is experiencing an increase in hotel reservations made on mobile devices. During the third quarter of 2009, Hilton Worldwide re reported a 59 percent increase in mobile revenue over the same period last year, and this jump was generated primarily from the company’s mobile-enabled website. The company’s mobile revenue has increased every quarter in 2009. 

Paul Brown, the President of Global Brands and Commercial Services, Hilton Worldwide, had this to say, “Our new iPhone and iTouch applications are like having a hotel concierge in your pocket 24 hours-a-day seven days-a-week. We are constantly working to anticipate our guests’ needs and this is a great way for us to make the entire hotel experience more convenient."