Internet adoption in tourism industry in China

Abstract

Information communication technologies (ICTs) have significantly revolutionized the travel industry in the last decade. E-tourism has been developed in travel industry in the world, which helps to realize digitalization of travel service process and value chains in travel industry, and has been used to evaluate the entire range of ICT application in tourism industry. E-tourism has developed variedly in different regions or countries. This research aims to examine how ICTs and Internet have impacted the travel industry in China. This study explores the current e-tourism development in China and examines the use of Internet in travel organizations. In addition, it investigates some issues related to the e-tourism development, including the drivers and barriers in e-commerce adoption from both travel organization's and traveler's perspectives. The results indicate that in general China is a late-adopter as regards to the adoption of e-commerce in tourism industry. In China only a few innovative travel organizations are at the early adoption stage of Internet and have experienced the benefits and advantages of early-adopters. Though e-tourism has been a growing trend, travel agency still keeps the main travel service delivery channel in China. This study also suggests that travel organizations in China should learn from developed countries to know how to develop e-tourism and improve the competitiveness of tourism in China. © 2008 International Federation for Information Processing.