Roles Of Ict In Tourism

1. Introduction

2. Since the 1980s, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been transforming tourism globally. ICTs have become vitally important for the competitiveness of tourism organisations, destinations and the whole industry. ICT changes the structure of the whole tourism industry and cultivates a range of opportunities and threats for all the stakeholders.

3. Consumers and demand dimensions

3.1. ICTs give travellers the opportunity to search for information and make reservations in less time, cost and inconvenience than traditional methods. ICTs contribute to the improvement of the service quality and to higher traveller satisfaction levels. They provide the “new tourist” with a lot more power. The not-so-secret to

When it comes to purchasing items on the internet, consumers are always concerned about the security and their privacy. It is therefore the website owner’s responsibility to ensure that the travellers feel safe and comfortable to complete their reservation on the website. Virtual communities are also becoming more important because consumers trust their friends more than the marketing messages. The advent of Web 2.0 brings together the concept of social networking or virtual

Industry and business function

5.1. When managers make full use of technologies, they can make it part of the organisation’s strategic planning process. For ICTs to be utilised optimally, the managers and operational staff must have the correct knowledge to do so. ICT should be used for operational as well as strategic management.

The Internet changed the tourism industry structure by changing the barriers to entry, decreasing switching costs, transforming the distribution channels, aiding price transparency and competition and enhancing production efficiency. The Internet also changed the rivalry structure in the industry and it enhanced the bargaining power of suppliers. Thanks to the Internet, buyers gained bargaining power because they now have instant access to information, they understand the market offers and conditions better and are constantly exposed to special offers.

The business function that is mostly affected by ICT is marketing and distribution. Organisations that use the Internet as a marketing tool will gain advantages in cost reduction, revenue growth, marketing research and data base development, and customer retention. By using technology organisations can now directly engage with their target markets all over the