Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the Internet—The state of eTourism research

This paper reviews the published articles on eTourism in the past 20 years. Using a wide variety of sources, mainly in the tourism literature, this paper comprehensively reviews and analyzes prior studies in the context of Internet applications to Tourism. The paper also projects future developments in eTourism and demonstrates critical changes that will influence the tourism industry structure. A major contribution of this paper is its overview of the research and development efforts that have been endeavoured in the field, and the challenges that tourism researchers are, and will be, facing

The Internet and Tourism in Rwanda: Value Chains and Networks of Connectivity-Based Enterprises in Rwanda

East Africa was the world’s last major region without submarine fibre-optic broadband internet access, and until the summer of 2009 had been forced to rely on slow and costly satellite connections for access. However, the region has recently been connected via fibre-optic cable – in theory, allowing much greater speeds at much lower prices. This rapid transformation in the region’s connectivity has prompted politicians, journalists, academics, and citizens to speak of an economic revolution fuelled by information and communication technologies (ICTs) happening on the continent. While some research has been conducted into the impacts of ICTs on economic processes and practices, there remains surprisingly little research into changing connectivity in East Africa. Here the authors summarise research examining the effects of this changing connectivity in the Rwandan tourism sector. We seek to understand what impacts changing connectivity is having, who benefits and who doesn’t

A SHARED INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR TOURISM ENTERPRISES IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIES

In a developing economy's business environment, introduction of new technology creates a large potential for more effective and streamlined production of tourism services. This study shows guidelines of design of an inter-organizational information system for small tourism enterprises. The entrepreneurial goal is to support strategic alliances in order to obtain better market-fit and sustainable competitive advance. This requires that the enterprises are capable of evaluating their existing processes, identify and outline improvements, and implement them. More than that, enterprises have to execute profound strategic changes in their business processes. For this change, study shows that adaption of supportive information system can be a key factor to satisfy these demands. Firstly, using systematic literature review the study identifies global trends of e-tourism. Secondly the trends are compared with the reality of small tourism enterprises in Nicaraguan Caribbean coast. With interview and brain storming sessions with hotel managers and local tourism specialists, desired state of e-tourism enhanced business processes is defined. Performance gaps and solutions are identified and outlined in order to reach new customer segments and better customer satisfaction with use of inter-organizational information system. With help of shared information system, enterprises search for sustainable economic growth and more stable business environment for their activities. The scientific domain of research is Information systems science. The method used for data collection and interpretation is systematic literature review and human and institutional capacity development -method. As result, the research identifies critical business processes when implementing e-Tourism services into tourism enterprises in developing economies. Strategic solutions for sustainable improvements in business processes supported by use of shared information system are outlined. As a practical result, the study lists required steps in order to reach desired changes in tourism enterprises with e-tourism initiative. Specification of requirements for information system is made. The implementation process and construction of information system is left out from this research and it requires later its own case study.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

MARKETING COMMUNICATION IN THE VISIT PHASE THROUGH GUEST.NET - AN INDESTINATION, LOCATION-BASED SYSTEM AT MAISTRA HOTEL CHAIN IN CROATIA

Hoteliers have always endeavoured to retain guests within their facilities, to profit maximally by offering them additional services. Informing guests of various options is performed within in-house marketing techniques, whereas some are ICT based. Purpose. Hotel chain websites are aimed at the acquisition of guests and as such are inadequate for displaying detailed, service and current information that guests need during their stay in a tourist destination (e.g. happy hour offer at the lobby bar). What about information provided to guests once in the tourist destination? This paper will present one such solution: the Guest.net. It is an in-destination, location-based website accessible from all Maistra Inc. properties, representing a good solution for hotel chains with various nearby positioned tourism facilities aimed at retaining guests within chain facilities. Design/Methodology/Approach. The approach used in this paper is the case study method. Findings and Implications. Klante, Kroschel and Bolls theoretical information model (2004) was expanded by adding the planning in situ phase in tourism. Benefits of the application of similar guest services for hotel chains have been listed. Limitations. Limitations steam from the case study method and relate to the minor geographical area researched. Originality. There is an evident lack in research of customers in tourism during the visit phase, regarding their decision making process, especially in the evaluation of alternatives and their purchase decision in situ (Law, Buhalis, Cobanoglu, 2014), thus this paper broadens the identified gap in the information collection phase in the destination

Smart island tourism and strategic marketing: the case of the island of El Hierro

Tourism and technology grow quickly generating behaviors that force challenges and dynamic decision-making. Tourist destinations have to deal with a complex environment that makes their competitive position dependent on Information and Communications Technology (ICT). As all citizens can be connected, better informed and engaged, the concept of Smart Destination needs to integrate tourism planning and territory services for the visitor. This will influence the motivation of tourists when they choose their holiday destination. The aim of this work is to create a theoretical and practical conceptualization of Smart Island, using the case of El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain), one of the first Smart Island in the world

Internet Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth

This paper looks at national attempts to promote economic growth through the Internet. Growth can be driven through service exports or internally through increased service transactions and fostering entrepreneurship. India is often held as an example of service exports, but economic statistics show that India might not be a good example for other nations because net service trade is negative and wages have been economically distorted. Ultimately, developing nations need to find internal growth models. Internal growth could be driven though increased consumption due to improved information, or increased investment expenditures from infrastructure investments

NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: ANALYSIS BETWEEN UPSCALE HOTELS IN ITALY AND CROATIA

Uvođenje novih tehnologija i upravljanje informacijama neprestano pružaju priliku za diferencijaciju unutar uslužnog sektora, a posebice u hotelijerstvu. Napredak informacijsko komunikacijske tehnologije (ICT) dao je pozitivan doprinos ugostiteljstvu. Oblikovanje usluga i jačanje lojalnosti klijenata uvelike ovise o dostupnosti podataka o njima. Stoga je svrha ovog istraživanja ispitati primjenu novih tehnologija i upravljanja podacima u hotelijerstvu iz perspektive menadžera i korisnika usluga. Cilj rada je utvrditi postoje li razlike u njihovoj uporabi i percepciji između visokokategoriziranih hotela u Italiji i Hrvatskoj.The adoption of new technologies and information management continuously provide opportunities for differentiation within the service industry in general and the hotel context in particular. Advancements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have positively contributed to the hospitality industry. Moreover, the supply of information about customers is an inevitable practice for service customization and encouragement of customer loyalty. The purpose of this study is to explore the implementation of new technologies and information management in the hotel context from both manager and consumer perspectives. It aims to observe whether there are differences in their use and perception between upscale hotels in Italy and Croatia

SoCoMo marketing for travel and tourism: Empowering co-creation of value.

Advanced technology enables users to amalgamate information from various sources on their mobile devices, personalise their profile through applications and social networks, as well as interact dynamically with their context. Context-based marketing uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) that recognise the physical environment of their users. Tourism marketers are increasingly becoming aware of those cutting-edge ICTs that provide tools to respond more accurately to the context within and around their users. This paper connects the different concepts of context-based marketing, social media and personalisation, as well as mobile devices. It proposes social context mobile (SoCoMo) marketing as a new framework that enables marketers to increase value for all stakeholders at the destination. Contextual information is increasingly relevant, as big data collected by a wide range of sensors in a smart destination provide real-time information that can influence the tourist experience. SoCoMo marketing introduces a new paradigm for travel and tourism. It enables tourism organisations and destinations to revolutionise their offering and to co-create products and services dynamically with their consumers. The proposed SoCoMo conceptual model explores the emerging opportunities and challenges for all stakeholders