The Internet and information technology have become the most imperative
innovation in the history of mankind next to the invention of printing press. The Internet
integrates numerous features of present media with new competence of interactivity and
addressability; thus, it renovates not only the way individuals conduct their business with
each other, but also the very significance of what it means to the society. Currently, millions
of people that include customers, businessmen and employees worldwide rely on the
Internet for working,
learning, socializing, entertainment, leisure and shopping. Since the
emergence of the Internet, travel planning (e.g., travel information search and booking) has
always been one of the major reasons that people use the Internet.
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The travel marketplace is a global arena where millions of buyers (travel agents
and the public) and sellers (hotels, airlines, car rental companies, etc.) work together to
exchange travel services. Among the “shelves” on which buyers explore for travel-related
services are world’s global distribution systems (GDS) and the Internet distribution systems
(IDS). These systems have become Internet supermarkets connecting buyers to the service
providers and allowing reservations to be made at less time and with less effort. Ever since
the appearance of the electronic and Internet the tourism and travel industry has started
sprouting around the electronic media and are becoming more and more customer friendly.
The information centric nature of tourism industry makes it very critical for customers
to access internet.
The revolution of the Internet and information and communication
technologies is making the Electronic media an integral part of tourism and it helps and
allows tourists plan or customise their plans accordingly through internet applications
offered by the tourism players. At present more travel is sold over the Internet than any
other consumer product. The Internet has become the most appropriate channel for selling
travel as it brings a wider network of suppliers and a widely disseminated customer groups
together into a centralized market place.
E- Tourism in India
The revolution of the Internet and information and communication technologies
(ICTs) in India has had already insightful repercussions for the tourism industry. A
whole system of Communication Technologies and the Internet has been rapidly diffused
throughout Indian tourism sectors. Subsequently, online travel bookings and associated
travel services are accepted as one of the most thriving e-commerce implementations.
Tourism has closely been connected to progress of Information and communication
system for over 10 years in India. The tourism industry initially concentrated on utilizing
information system to increase efficiency in processing of information within and managing
distribution.
During the last decade of 20th century, India saw the emergence of e-tourism, its
innovation and growth. It is because of the online revolution and its utility where the tourists
are more interested to get information on destinations, facilities, availabilities, prices,
geography & climate and present status of friendly relation. This led to the development of
e-commerce strategies in tourism industry and more services in the form of online hotel
booking, flight booking, car booking, bus booking came into forefront as online services
provided by the big online travel companies such as Travelchacha.com,
Makemytrip.com,
Yatra.com, Cleartrip.com, Ezeego1.com, Arzoo.com, Travelguru.com, Travel.indiatimes.
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com, ixigo.com, travelocity.co.in etc. On these sites, the travellers have wide option of
exploring details of hotels, flights, cars, buses and other allied services.
At present, the information and communication technology supports all operative,
structural, strategic and marketing levels to facilitate global interaction among suppliers,
intermediaries and consumers around the world and Indian players. Now in India the online
travel bookings and associated travel services are recognized as one of the most successful
e-commerce implementations.
Many tourism-related organisations had to go through a
major business processes re-engineering to capitalise on the emerging technologies in order
to transform their service process and data handling to match the global standard.
More specifically, the opening up of the Indian market for foreign players and the
changes in the aviation industry policy attracted large number of international players across
the world to establish their business centres in India. The foreign players were brought in
their technical know how’s and their innovative business process into the Indian market
that contributed to the forceful adoption on technology and information system of tourism
players to stay alive in the competitors.
The global business dimension also increased the demand of international
consumptions and tourism related services both domestic and international, which made
the tourism associates to re-engineer their products and process to match the expectation
of the market. According to 2013 CNN global travel survey, India is now one of the top
tourism destinations in Asia as it has received 3.3 million foreign tourists during the first
half of this year.
Currently the Indian market is well equipped and competitive as any of the
international tourism market across the world as it was able to adapt to the rapidly changing IT
enabled tourism process and service delivery by partnering with international participants.
The amount of foreign direct investments (FDI) inflow into the hotel and tourism sector
during April 2000 to April 2013 was worth US$ 6,664.20 million, as per data provided by
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce.
The below Figure shows the contribution of Indian tourism to the world tourism. The
graph reveals that there is a study growth in the Indian tourism contribution to the world
market especially after 2000.
The emergence of ICT during the beginning of this century
can be one of the major reasons for such a rapid growth and increase in the significance in
the world market as reported by the Indian tourism department.
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India’s share of India in International tourism
Source: Indian tourism statistics (2012)
The Internet Economy Watch Report for the month of September 2012, released
by the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) indicates a marginal growth of 7
percent in online booking of air tickets when compared with the numbers of corresponding
month last year.
Though Indian market is considered to be one of the competent it has still more
to learn and adapt from European markets. Tourism department (2013) has reported that
India and Japan will plan to strengthen cooperation in tourism sector. Both the countries
will identify areas for working together and explore new opportunities in tourism sector
especially in the field of human resource development (HRD) and investment in the tourism
sector. (IBEF, 2013)
