Abstract
Travel and tourism are second only to pornography in adopting Internet-based technologies to intermediate between those supplying the total travel experience, and those seeking to satisfy leisure needs by engaging in tourism. From Thomas Cook in the 1800s, traditional ‘travel trade networks’ have provided the components of the travel experience: transport, accommodation and attractions. However, the Internet has encouraged customer self-service, and on-going debate regarding the future of traditional travel trade intermediaries. The intermediation debate suggests the emergence of ‘hybrid’ intermediation systems combining customer self-service with face-to-face customer contacts characteristic of traditional travel agents. A focus group investigation identified profiles and motives of customers using the Internet to make holiday arrangements. Potential cost savings are a primary motivation for customer self-service. Using the Internet for travel and tourism is becoming commonplace among older travellers as well as younger people. In gathering information before making holiday decisions, potential tourists also engage in a Web 2.0 environment where family and friends, not established intermediaries, provide reliable and authentic information via their individual blogs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Carroll D (2007) Retailers set for online bonanza. Travel Today. traveltoday@travelweekly.com.au. Accessed 8 August 2007
Connolly DJ, Olsen MD, Moore RG (1998) The Internet as a Distribution Channel. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly 39(4):42–54
Giaglis GM, Klein S, O’Keefe RM (2002) The Role of Intermediaries in Electronic Marketplaces: Developing a Contingency Model. Information Systems Journal 231(12):231–246
Hinchcliffe D (2006) Consumers as producers: Disintermediation without a net. http://blogs.zdnet.com/Hinchcliffe/?p=55. Accessed 8 March 2007
Hsu T-W, Murphy J, Purchase S (2001) Australian and Taiwanese Advertiser’s Perceptions of Internet Marketing. Australasian Marketing Journal 9(1):33–45
Jones S (2007a) King Spells Out Online Challenge. Travel Today. traveltoday@travelweekly.com.au. Accessed 13 March 2007
Jones S (2007b) Qantas warning for travel agents. Travel Today. traveltoday@travelweekly.com.au. Accessed 19 July 2007
Jones S (2007c) Agents Must Become Retailers, says Sabre. Travel Today. traveltoday@travelweekly.com.au. Accessed 13 March 2007
Jones S (2007d) Industry losing experienced agents. Travel Today. traveltoday@travelweekly.com.au. Accessed 7 February 2007
Jones S (2007e) Travelscene Amex in system launch. Travel Today. traveltoday@travelweekly.com.au. Accessed 7 August 2007
Jones S (2007f) Internet confusion helping agents: Wholesaler pledges not to go direct. Travel Today. traveltoday@travelweekly.com.au. Accessed 8 February 2007
Killion L, McGehee N (2007) Collaborative Cross-Cultural Curriculum Development in Cyber-space. Working Paper Council of University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) Conference Proceedings 11–14 February 2007, Sydney Australia
Kim Chul-won (2005) Enhancing the Role of Tourism SME’s in Global Value Chain: A Case Analysis on Travel Agencies and Tour Operators in Korea. Proceedings of Global Tourism Growth: A Challenge for SMEs. Conference Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Centre for Entrepreneurship SMEs & Local Development and Ministry of Culture and Tourism Republic of Korea, 6–7 September,Gwangju, Korea
Kotler P, Bowen J, Makens J (1996) Marketing for hospitality and tourism. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ
Kotler P, Adam S, Brown L, Armstrong G (2001) Principles of Marketing. Prentice Hall Pearson Education Australia Pty Ltd, Frenchs Forest, NSW
Law R, Leung K, Wong RJ (2004) The Impact of the Internet on Travel Agencies International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 16(2):100–107
Leary B (February 27 2007) SMBs Looking To Raise Their Profiles Need To Examine Their Own Experience. www.CRMguru.com/. Accessed 28 February 2007
Lew AA (2007a) Travelography for July 21, 2007 Return of the Travel Agent, Family Travel, and Gladiators. podcasternews.com/programs/35/travelography/4375/return-of-the-travel-agent-family-travel-and-gladiators/. Accessed 24 August 2007
Lew AA (2007b) What is Travel 3.0? web20travel.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-is-travel-30.html. 14 August. Accessed 24 August 2007
Lumsdon L (1997) Tourism marketing. International Thomson Business Press, Oxford.
Morgan M (1996) Marketing for Leisure and Tourism. Prentice Hall, Herfordshire
Morrison AM (2002) Hospitality and Travel Marketing, 3rd edn. Delmar Thomson Learning, Albany NY
Reid RD, Bojanic DC (2006) Hospitality Marketing and Management, 4th edn. John Wiley and Sons Inc, Hoboken NJ
Pearce DG, Schott C (2005) Tourism Distribution Channels: The Visitors’ Perspective. Journal of Travel Research 44(1):50–63
Rogers EM (2003) Diffusion of Innovations, 5th edn. Free Press, New York
The eMarketer Daily (7 March 2007) www.emarketer.com/Newsletter/emarketer_daily.html. Accessed 8 March 2007
Weeks P, Crouch I (1999) Sites for Sore Eyes: An Analysis of Australian Tourism and Hospitality Web Sites. Information Technology and Tourism 2:153–172. www.cognizantcommunication.com/filecabinet/Info_Tech/ittabs.htm. Accessed 8 March 2007
Wilson B (2007) Marketing Tourism Online: Part One The Basics. www.strteetdirectory.com/travel_guide/4923/marketing/marketing_tourism_online-Part-one-the-basics.html. Accessed 8 March 2007
Withey L (1997) Grand Tours and Cook’s Tours: A History of Leisure Travel 1750–1915. Autumn Press, London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Appendix: Glossary of Key Terms
Appendix: Glossary of Key Terms
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Killion, L. (2009). Cybermediation in the Tourism and Travel Industries. In: Sudweeks, F., Romm Livermore, C., Oliver, D. (eds) Self-Service in the Internet Age. Computer Supported Cooperative Work. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-207-4_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-207-4_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-84800-206-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-84800-207-4
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)