Understanding E-Tourism and its Concepts
This section of the chapter will clarify e-tourism and explain various concepts that
relate to the electronic tourism.
E-Tourism
It can be understood as the application of Information and communication
technology on the various sectors of the tourism industry.
Growing significance
in the Global share of
tourism, after the
emergence of ICT
Emergence of ICT into
Indian Tourisms industry
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According to Buhalis (1998) “E-tourism is the digitisation of all the processes
and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality and catering industries that enable
organisations to maximise their efficiency and effectiveness”
.
The above definition clarifies that electronic tourism is the digitalisation of all
practices and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality and catering industries.
E-tourism cannot be understood as an independent process or system as it comprises
of numerous participants and players those utilise the electronic mode through information
technology and communication system to reach the customer directly or indirectly. The
e-tourism takes different forms that can be accessed by the customers through different
channels and distribution systems.
Information and Communication Technologies (Icts)
According to Buhalis (1996), ICTs include “the entire range of electronic tools, which
facilitate the operational and strategic management of organisations by enabling them to
manage their information, functions and processes as well as to communicate interactively
with their stakeholders for achieving their mission and objectives.
” ICTs include not only
the hardware and software required but also the groupware, net ware and the intellectual
capacity (human ware) to develop, program and maintain equipment).
Poon (1993) has defined information and communication technology as the “collective
term given to the most recent developments in the mode (electronic) and the mechanisms
computers and communication technologies) used for the acquisition, processing analysis,
storage, retrieval, dissemination and application of information.
ICT effectively integrates the entire range of hardware, software, groupware,
net ware and human ware and blurs the boundaries between equipment and software.
Thus, ICTs emerge as an integrated system of networked equipment and software, which
enables effective data processing and communication for organisational benefit towards
transforming organisations to e-businesses. This course material will use ‘IT’ and ‘ICT’
interchangeably.
Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) and Electronic Business (E-Business)
According to Turbanet al. (1996), “E-commerce is the process of buying, selling,
or exchanging products, services, or information via computer networks, including the
Internet”. In this book, the terms are used interchangeably. Electronic business includes not
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only purchasing and selling but also includes servicing the customers, work together with
business associates, conducting electronic learning, and performing e-transactions both
internally and externally by an organistaion.
