03-10-2014, 02:11 PM
Abstracts: E-tourism provides opportunities for business expansion in all geographical, marketing and operational senses. As a result of Internet developments, a number of new players have come into the tourism marketplace. Perhaps the most significant change was the proliferation of low-frills airlines that use the Internet as a main distribution mechanism for direct sales. This development has educated consumers that they can only find cheap fares if they go direct to the carrier online threatening both traditional/flag carriers as well as their entire distribution system (e.g., travel agencies). Equally the development of major E-Tourism agencies such as Expedia, Travelocity has created powerful “travel supermarkets” for consumers. They provide integrated travel solutions and a whole range of value added services, such as destination guides, weather reports and insurance. By adopting dynamic packaging (i.e., the ability to package customized trips based on bundling individual components at a discounted total price), they effectively threaten the role of tour operators and other aggregators. A thorough analysis of the various sectors of the tourism industry demonstrates the key developments and the influence of E-Tourism and the Internet for their internal organization, their relationships with partners and the interaction with consumers and stakeholders.