1 / 25

Chapter 19 Information Technology in Tourism

Chapter 19 Information Technology in Tourism. This Lecture will give you. An understanding of the key ICT and eTourism concepts; An appreciation of the generic ICTs applications in the tourism industry;

jenis
Download Presentation

Chapter 19 Information Technology in Tourism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Chapter 19Information Technologyin Tourism

  2. This Lecture will give you • An understanding of the key ICT and eTourism concepts; • An appreciation of the generic ICTs applications in the tourism industry; • A knowledge of the basic concepts of computer reservation system and global distribution channels; • A comprehension of the impact of the Internet and ICTs tools on the structure and components of the tourism system; and • An appreciation of the strategic importance of ICTs and the Internet for the future of each stakeholder in the tourism industry.

  3. Introduction • The tourism system is inevitably influenced by the new business environment created by the diffusion of ICTs • Information Technology is one of the external environment elements for tourism, travel and hospitality • In recent years technological developments have supported tourism innovation and vice versa • ICTs have become an imperative partner for tourism • They offer the interface between consumers and suppliers globally • ICTs provide the tools and enable the evolution of tourism demand and supply

  4. The eTourism concept • eTourism reflects the digitisation of all processes and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality and catering industries • At the tactical level it includes eCommerce, eProcurement and all ICT empowered functions • eTourism applies ICTs for maximising the efficiency and effectiveness of the tourism organisation • At the strategic level it revolutionises all business processes and changes the industry structure • Hence it revolutionises the entire value chain and the strategic relationships of tourism organisations with all their stakeholders

  5. The eTourism concept (continued) • eTourism determines the competitiveness of all tourism organisations and destinations • Takes advantage of intranets, extranets and the Internet • It includes all business functions • eTourism bundles together three distinctive disciplines • Business and management • Information systems and information management • Tourism, travel, hospitality

  6. The eTourism mix The eTourism concept and eTourism domains Source: Buhalis, (2003) eTourism, FT Prentice Hall

  7. Best operational practices in tourism by ICTs • Major drivers make ICTs an integral part of the tourism industry • Economic necessity • The proliferation of the Internet • Development of 3G mobile devices and interactive television • Improvements in ICTs' price/performance ratios • Rising consumer expectations • ICTs can also assist the reduction of operation and communication costs

  8. ICTs changes best operational practices in tourism • Integrating operational systems • Maximising internal efficiencies • Decreasing the number of people required for back office jobs • Reducing the amount of face to face or telephone communications • Enabling consumers to have access to all information that was previously only obtainable by direct contact with tourism organisations.

  9. ICTs assist the reduction of operation and communication costs by: • Integrating operational systems • Maximising the internal efficiencies • Decreasing the number of people required for back office jobs • Reducing the amount of face to face or telephone communications • Enabling consumers to have access to all information

  10. Critical tourism and hospitality functions supported by ICTs • Front office: reservations, check-in, payments • Back office: accounting, payroll, human resources management, marketing, procurement • Communication with consumers and partners • Control of business processes and personnel • Customer entertainment and service • Marketing research and industrial espionage • Reaction and management of unexpected events • Flexible and dynamic pricing • Differentiation and personalisation of products • Monitoring performance indicators • Building feedback mechanisms

  11. Telecommunications and Networking tools in the Tourism Industry • Telephone, telex and fax • Mobile devices • Telex • Videotext and new data • Teletext • Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) • Inter-organisational and Intra-organisational networking • Virtual reality • Information superhighway (converges media, telecommunications and information technology)

  12. Software classification scheme Source: Buhalis (2003) eTourism, FT Prentice Hall, based on Werthner and Klein (1999) Information Technology and Tourism: A Challenging Relationship,Springer-Verlag, Vienna

  13. Software classification scheme Source: Buhalis (2003) eTourism, FT Prentice Hall, based on Werthner and Klein (1999) Information Technology and Tourism: A Challenging Relationship,Springer-Verlag, Vienna

  14. Examples of ICT Applications in the tourism industry used currently • Entire range of hardware, software and netware • Stand-alone computers and network devices • Office automation, reservation, accounting, payroll and procurement management applications • Portable/wireless communication devices • Internal management tools such as management support systems, decision support systems and management information systems • Tailor-made internal management applications • Databases and knowledge management systems • Internet/Intranets/Extranets • Networks with partners for regular transactions (EDI or Extranets) • Networking and open distribution of products through theInternet

  15. Examples of ICT Applications in the tourism industry used currently (continued) • Computer Reservation Systems (CRSs) • Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) (e.g. Galileo, SABRE, Amadeus, Worldspan) • Switch applications for hospitality organisations (e.g. THISCO and WIZCOM) • Destination Management Systems (DMSs) • Internet-based travel intermediaries (e.g. Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Preview Travel, Priceline.com etc) • Mobile/WAP based reservation systems • Traditional distribution technologies supporting automated systems (e.g. Videotext) • Calling centers • Interactive Digital Television (IDTV) • CD-ROMs • Kiosks and touch screen terminals

  16. Lastminute Case Study Mission Statement

  17. Figure 19.1 lastminute.com UK homepage Source: lastminute.com

  18. Figure 19.2 Tiscover Source: tiscover.com

  19. Major ICT applications in the tourism industry • Computer Reservation Systems (CRSs) assist tourism enterprises: • Handle their inventories profitably • Facilitate the tourism products distribution • Normally operated by airlines, hotels and tour operators • Distribute products nationally or globally • Use computerised or videotext systems • Use mainframes and extensive networks to support remote terminals in travel agencies • Instant update of information • Advantages: support reservation/confirmation/purchase of a wide range of tourism products • Disadvantages: installation and usage costs, lack of user friendliness and bias in favour of their vendors

  20. Major ICT applications in the tourism industry (continued) • Global Distribution Channels (GDS) • incorporate a comprehensive range of services and products • provide a global distribution info-structure • satisfy consumers' need for easy access • provide transparent and easy to compare information • Tourism suppliers use CRSs & GDSs to manage & distribute their capacity as they • enable flexible pricing & capacity alterations • reduce communication costs • provide managerial information on demand patterns or competitors' position • serve the travel trade (intermediaries) • support quick and firm responses to customers' enquiries

  21. Functions of intranets in tourism (continued) • Communication between departments • business functions • networking and information exchange • human resources management • staff coordination • Communication and function with branches • coordination of operations • reports and budgeting • availability/prices/information orders from headquarters/administration • share of common resource databases for customer and operational information • operational planning • accounting/billing • payroll • supplies management Source: Adapted from Buhalis (1998) Strategic use of information technologies in the tourism industry, Tourism Mangagement, 19 (5), 409–421

  22. Functions of intranets in tourism • Information exchange within a tourism organisation • Management Support • strategic planning • competition analysis • financial planning and control • accounting and finance • marketing research • marketing strategy and implementation • pricing decision and tactics • middle term planning and feedback • management statistics/reports • operational control • management functions

  23. Functions of extranets in tourism • Links between partners • availability/prices inquiries • negotiations and bargaining • reservations and confirmations • lists of groups/visitors • receipts/documents • vouchers and tickets production • travelling facilitation • follow up progress • keep partners informed about plans • amend plans should unexpected developments arise • follow up developments • feedback and clearing commissions • payment and commissions clearance • feedback and suggestions • complaint handling • building loyalty through data mining

  24. Functions of Internet in tourism • Information distribution • Electronic commerce • Request availability/prices/information • Reservation and confirmation • Expanding value chain with complementary products • Deposits and full settlements • Specific requests/enquiries • Feedback/complaints • Ancillary services

  25. Conclusions • Information Telecommunication Technologies increasingly determine the competitiveness of tourism organisations • Tourism industry should take advantage of the Internet, Extranet and Intranet to manage its representation to the world, its internal efficiencies and its relationships with other partners. • ICT-enabled tourism organisations will benefit and grow in the future

More Related