Cell Phones and International Travel

Undoubtedly, cellular phones are among the most important technologies impacting travel behavior today. Also known as cell phones, mobile phones, or hand phones, cellular phones generally refer to telephones that allow users to receive and make calls over radio links (via connections to cellular networks) while moving around an extensive geographic region. The nature of mobile phones makes them apt for the travel context. Traditionally, travelers used cell phones to keep in touch with family and friends and to request directions, tourist information, and other forms of assistance from travel agents, information centers, or service providers such as hotels, airlines, taxi companies, and restaurants, among others. The emergence of smartphone technology—which often integrates the traditional function of telephony with features such as broadband Internet browsing, ...