The role of the internet in the SME hotel sector in Austria

Abstract

The fact that information and communication technology (ICT) has a significant impact on industries and single organizations is an already established and well researched issue. Markets are changing - becoming faster, bigger, more standardized as well as segmented, and more competitive. ICT has a considerable impact on nearly all areas of a company's activities, especially for companies operating in information intensive industries such as the travel and tourism industry. This paper concentrates on the implications of ICT for the hotel sector in Austria and more specifically for the small and medium sector (SME) section of this market. This paper explores the major threats and opportunities for hotels by evaluating our framework for competitive advantage in eBusiness through an expert survey within the Austrian travel and tourism industry. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.