Technology Trends
Self-service Booking Systems and the Power Law of Practice
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Håvard Hansen
As more and more tourism products can be booked online through digital self-service systems, companies who facilitate quick consumer system learning are likely to achieve a competitive advantage. Based on the assumption that learning how to use self-service booking systems follows a power function, this study reports the results from an experimental study where participants were set to place a number of repetitive travel orders through a computerized booking system not familiar to them. Based on behavioural data generated from the system, we find that both the time spent on each booking, and the amount of information searched before making a choice, decreased following a power function. We also find that in choice categories characterized by stable preferences, learning takes place at a significantly higher and faster pace than in situations with more preference variety. Our results imply that tourism companies that design their digital booking systems with consumer learning in mind can gain important competitive advantages. These, and corresponding theoretical implications are discussed in more detail.
The Impact of Destination Management Systems on Tourism Industry: A Strategic Approach
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sotirios Varelas, Evangelia Kopanaki, Nikolaos Georgopoulos, Maria Oikonomou
The objective of this paper is to clarify the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and specifically of Destination Management Systems (DMSs) and mobile technologies on the tourism sector. The diffusion and adoption of ICTs lead to the development of new, effective and efficient processes, affecting business performance. Mobile technologies modify existing working habits, enabling employees to work anytime and anywhere. They also affect the development of products and services, leading to improved quality and faster dissemination. The tourism sector faces a radical transformation by the adoption and implementation of new technologies and innovative business practices. The development of innovative tools, such as DMSs and mobile applications set new challenges in the tourism industry and create extra value to consumers and stakeholders. The adoption and use of these technologies do not only reinforce tourism companies’ operations and processes, but also increase their performance and competitiveness. They also facilitate the dissemination of information, support tourism services and reservations, as well as make tourist attractions more accessible and visitors more informed and engaged. This research aims to clarify these issues, identifying the core factors affecting the hospitality sector, such as hotels. It shows that DMSs and mobile technologies are extremely important on destination management, as they offer value-added resources not only for suppliers, but also for customers and visitors. It also shows that these technologies may change the structure and the value chain of the tourism industry, leading to competitive advantage and improving performance, operational efficiency, and position in the industry.
