Priceline.com is turning its attention to the untapped market of Android Wear wearables as it rolls out a companion application tapping Google map technology and geofencing to assist forgetful travelers.

As a plethora of travel marketers flock to design apps for the Apple Watch, Priceline.com is keeping in mind its Android consumers, a move which may undercut competition from other major players in the industry who do not offer as many Android-friendly services. Priceline.com?s app, which is set to be available on June 8, taps Google map technology to showcase local places of importance to travelers, such as pharmacies, convenience stores and ATMs, all within the vicinity of their hotel.

?Priceline.com is a mobile-first company committed to the highest levels of innovation, and as such, we are inclusive of the latest technology,? said Fabiola Carcamo, mobile product director at Priceline.com, Norwalk, CT. ?Android Wear is an opportunity for priceline.com to work with a new platform and become an even closer travel companion.

?Not only can travelers look to priceline.com for their pre-travel needs, but, using the powerful contextual capabilities of Android Wear, we can also help them pick up forgotten necessities while they?re already at their destination.?

Geofencing capabilities
The app automatically creates a geofence to surround the user?s hotel?s latitude and longitude. Once the user enters that radius, the app is triggered, and displays a map showcasing local jaunts where travelers can purchase necessities they may have forgotten to pack.

The app also updates as the user moves from place to place, providing turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to save locations.

Owners of Android Wear smartwatches will not have to worry about exhausting the device?s battery, thanks to recent platform updates including the ambi-active display, which allows app developers to view information on screen in a low-power mode.

This way, consumers may continue discovering locations in their vicinity without concerns for overusing the battery power.

?Mobile technology is transforming the travel landscape, and it doesn?t just include smartphones anymore, it?s everything from tablets to wearable technology,? Ms. Carcamo said. ?Because of this proliferation and our customers? proclivity for spontaneous, on-the-go booking, mobile strategy is a key pillar in reaching our consumer base.

?We constantly push ourselves to ensure our products are fast, integrated with the latest technology, and intuitive.?

Importance of travel necessities
While many travel apps offer consumers the ability to book last-minute hotels or flights, Priceline.com?s app is geared to another type of last-minute shopping: necessities and toiletries. Consumers, especially spontaneous travelers, often forget these items or prefer to purchase them upon arrival at their final destination, leaving an untapped market for brands.

A Priceline.com survey showed 52 percent of participants claim a charger or power cord is the most forgotten item, with weather products such as umbrellas and first aid materials following behind at 35 percent and 26 percent, respectively.

Three out of five individuals also stated they have visited a convenience store while on a trip to purchase last-minute items.

The travel brand has recently been placing a magnifying glass on mobile as bookings made via smartphones skyrocket. Priceline.com believes that the growing volume of last-minute getaways booked via its services can be attributed to millennials? browsing tendencies on their smartphones, as well as enhanced booking functions in apps that drive impulse purchases of vacations (see story).

?We?re excited to share that travelers on-the-go can easily pinpoint local places like convenience stores and pharmacies within the vicinity of their hotel, to easily find those items that so often slip our minds when packing,? Ms. Carcamo said.

?According to a new survey from priceline.com, 93 percent of travelers admit to forgetting to pack necessities, so next time a traveler forgets their toothbrush, they can merely glance at their wrist to find the closest location to pick it up.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York