Virtual accessibility on digital business websites and tourist distribution

Abstract

Globalization has affected the tourism industry as well as tourism products. The Internet has fundamentally reshaped the way tourism-related information is made available and how people plan and consume tourism products. Accessibility to all information must be guaranteed to users in general but also to users with special needs. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 covers a wide range of recommendations for making web content more accessible. Whereas the realization, or otherwise, of a particular business depends heavily on a set of sensations that are experienced at the time of acquisition between the potential customer and the websites, and this relationship may be positively or negatively affected by previous experiences and economic viability may be constrained by such accessibility. Analysis of various websites of tourism industry agents, such as travel agencies, airlines and hotels, revealed several weaknesses that may affect the relationship with a potential customer.