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Top1. Introduction
Nowadays, it is clearly noted the involvement of technology in all aspects of our lives, especially in the commercial and services sectors. Emerging technologies have changed the way of communication among people, and allowed them to communicate in virtual and more socialized way. This technological development has become very effective in the national economy of any country worldwide (Pascali, 2017). The tourism industry is a very important tributary and vital source for the global economy. So, it is considered as one of the most significant factors for economic growth, improves infrastructures and services, and helps diversify the local economy (Rega & Inversini, 2016). The rapid development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and its applications has led to a huge upgrade in the tourism industry.
Moreover, the presence of networks and Internet allow completing many business processes like buying, selling and paying money in a safe and fast way which is so-called now as the Electronic Commerce (e-commerce), which means supply, sale and purchase of goods, services and information through an electronic system between the producer, supplier, and consumer (Setiawan et al., 2020). Actually, companies which are using e-commerce get many benefits such as marketing becomes more active and widespread, reducing the employment expenses, and communicating effectively with other companies and customers wherever they are (Ikumoro & Jawad, 2019). On the other hand, customers also get benefits from dealing with the companies using the e-commerce, for instance: saving time and effort, protecting products and funds, and getting the freedom to choose the item and the price and to take advantage of competing companies and their offers.
The domain of tourism is a cooperation between many branches and has deep relations with many commercial aspects, such as management, services and facilities, promoting and marketing, security, ICT, and more. Definitely, the adoption of ICT in tourism through providing its products and services would be a key factor for its success. The term “E-Tourism”, or “Online Tourism”, as a part of the e-commerce, should implicitly contain virtual entities of whole touristic content, travel agencies, airlines, hospitality, transportation services, operators, tourism related data, tourism market stakeholders and special authorities of organizing the tourism activities (Kazandzhieva & Santana, 2019). For more clarity, e-tourism will reengineer the process of the traditional tourism services providing by redefining the relationship between the organization and all of its stakeholders (Azouri et al., 2016).
The success of e-tourism can be measured by the degree of ease with which individual can find the tourist services electronically without the need to physically visit a tourist services provider (Tfaily, 2018). Access to tourism services has become easier by using the tools of modern technology. You can, from your home or office, move easily through websites which offer tourist services over the Internet and make a convenient decision for booking an airline ticket or a hotel room and even to pay the value of related invoices in an easy and secure way.
The importance of this article lies in that it has identified and explained the main areas of employing the ICT in the tourism industry. This article focused on the most important and effective elements of a technological product to be adopted in tourism, and that its impact can be tangible on the behavior of tourists, in addition to the beneficial effects of its adoption on the producer of the tourism products and the tourists themselves, as well. Moreover, the role of social media in tourism and its impact on the future of technological applications and services that can serve the global tourism and hospitality services.