Smart Tourism and Information Technology

This assignment delves into the transformative role of information technology (IT) in contemporary tourism. It examines the rise of 'smart tourism' – destinations leveraging IT to enhance experiences, improve efficiency, and personalize services. The analysis covers how travelers utilize technology during their journey, including online booking platforms, travel apps, and social media for planning and sharing experiences. Furthermore, it investigates emerging technologies shaping the future of tourism, such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and virtual reality.

Running head: INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
Information system management for Travel & Tourism
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:

1
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................2
2.0 Disruptive Technologies as related to the travel & tourism industry........................................2
3.0 Ways of Disruptive Technologies change the methods of conducting business, when
compared to the old ‘Bricks and Mortar’ businesses.......................................................................4
4.0 Who benefits of Disruptive Technologies in travel and tourism industry.................................5
5.0 Benefits associated with the use of mobile applications, alerts and mobility when
selling/buying travel & tourism services.........................................................................................6
6.0 Disadvantages of information system and analyzing security issues........................................8
6.1 Disadvantages of information system used in travel industry...............................................8
6.2 Analyzing the security issues in travel and tourism industry................................................8
6.3 Profitability of the travel and tourism industry......................................................................9
7.0 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................9
8.0 Recommendations....................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................12

2
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
1.0 Introduction
Law, Buhalis and Cobanoglu (2014) stated that disruptive technology displaced the
established technology and created a new industry. Cloud computing is most significant
disruptive technologies into the world which displaced the traditional communication network.
Some of the examples of disruptive technologies are that the personal computer has displaced the
typewriter and it changed the way of communication. The operating system has resulted into
rapid development of personal computing. Cell phones are used to call people from anywhere
and emails are used to communicate with others which displaced the letter writing.
The report is based on critically analyzing the disruptive technologies into the “travel and
tourism industry”. It also investigates the way which changes the methods to conduct business.
There are many benefits of disruptive technologies by using of mobile application and mobility
into travel and tourism services. Apart from the benefits, there are disadvantages of the
technology such as security issues.
2.0 Disruptive Technologies as related to the travel & tourism industry
Tourism industry is delivering greater services for longer time with improvement over the
tourism movements and consumer preferences. Schegg and Stangl (2017) analyzed disruptive
technologies have biggest impact on the travel and tourism industry due to grow into the Internet
of Things (IoT) along with digital technology. Through utilization of Smartphone into the
selected industry, the passengers can remote check-in, get news on real time travel, messaging,
paperless boarding passes, GPS and others. The Smartphone has changed the travelling
experiences of the passengers by providing them free Wi-Fi in their journey in order to improve

3
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
over the passenger flow (Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier 2015). At the airport security,
biometrics through facial, iris recognition and fingerprint improves the safety of the airport.
Today, the aircraft of the passengers are 70 percent fuel efficient per seat kilometre as compared
to the 1960s due to development of materials like carbon fibre which made the parts of aircraft
lighter as well as stronger. Use of materials such as “carbon fibre and quartz fibre reinforced
plastic, glass fibre as well as weldable aluminium alloys resulted into invention of largest
passenger airlines. Chung, Lee and Han (2015) argued that technology has shifted balance
among business as well as customer across the travel and tourism industry.
Mason (2015) mentioned that the way the passengers are making travel bookings faced
wide range of disruptions. The technology improves the communication process, saves time and
cash. It helps to exchange and delivery of information from one point to another in short period
of time. The travellers are using of internet to search of their desired destinations and bookings
of flights, hotels online. Most of the travellers are using of advanced technology for bookings,
visas and others. Wang, Xiang and Fesenmaier (2016) analysed 85 percent of the passengers are
doing online search before booking. The travel and tourism industry observed that due to access
of internet for online booking, it increases the array of destinations. Communication technology
plays a key significant role into the industry as modern tourism turns round the capability of
tourist destinations to interact with the possible visitors and the capability of those who arrive at
their destinations (Standing, Tang-Taye and Boyer 2014). Therefore, use of websites, mobile
applications, social media and booking platforms provide opportunity to engage as well as
connect with the passengers which allow an enhancement of the travel experiences.

4
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
3.0 Ways of Disruptive Technologies change the methods of conducting
business, when compared to the old ‘Bricks and Mortar’ businesses
Disruptive technologies transform the functions of old ‘Bricks and Mortar’ business by
optimizing the in-store operations as well as experiences of the customers. It increases the
growth of the shopping along with decline of the supply chain. The advanced technology helps
the ‘Bricks and Mortar’ businesses to grow into online services and create of new shopping
experiences (Filieri and McLeay 2014). The technology such as mobile app into Smartphone
offers various search options to the travellers for places to accommodate. By enhancement of the
availability as well as accessibility of the accommodation, online platforms provide the travellers
a broader place to stay. It creates of competitive market in addition to drives the price down. The
travellers can see the photos of the destination, reviews it and provides ratings when choosing of
any hotels (Dedeke 2016). With the advanced technology, it helps to build trust among the
customers as well as travel agents.
A wide range of technological issues are overcome by the travel industry to perform of
research as well as growth. It plans to support of modernization within the tourism as well as
travel industry (Dima, Ţenescu and Bosun 2014). The Research & Development performed with
the “travel and tourism industry” includes of: use of big data for competitive prices of the flight,
development of mobile application help tourists for navigation around new cities, integrate of the
technology into travel industry to improve over the customer services and creation of travel
experiences around the world.

5
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
4.0 Who benefits of Disruptive Technologies in travel and tourism industry
Following are the persons those are benefited from the disruptive technologies within the
“travel and tourism industry”:
Travellers: The disruptive technologies benefit the passengers when they go for online
bookings of tickets. Internet booking is therefore considered as strong disruptive materials. The
selected industry benefits from the trend towards the online bookings (Koo et al. 2015).
Information well as communication technologies enables innovation into the travel industry will
benefit the performance of the whole supply chain.
Travel agent: They are benefited due to disruptive technologies as their work becomes
effortless and easier to do. Through use of internet, the industry provides better and accessible
services to the passengers. The travel agents are benefited into many ways throughout creation as
well as sustain of system which looks towards disruptive innovation (Gretzel et al. 2015). With
using computer system, the agents can easily access to the passenger’s information and improve
the experiences of the guest by getting reservation and other details into single database system.
Local communities: Use of disruptive technologies into travel as well as tourism industry
helps in promotion of culture heritage of the local communities (Mok, Sparks and Kadampully
2013). The cultural tourism becomes a key component into the tourism platform that leads the
country to invest into preservation tasks.
Government: The revenue which comes into the local community benefits the local
government. There is more tax dollars that permits the public to launch and develop. There is
improvement over the infrastructure with improvement into the transport services and

6
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
development of information technology (Neuhofer, Buhalis and Ladkin 2014). It brings out
facilities for the visitors and also benefits the local residents. New development into the travel
services support the economic development into the particular industry. Without good “travel
and tourism industry”, flow of goods as well as travel services are not possible and revenue of
tourism is allowed to support.
5.0 Benefits associated with the use of mobile applications, alerts and mobility
when selling/buying travel & tourism services
The impact of the digital transformation into the industries and the technology is
disrupted the older things and invented the methods to explore of travelling. Benefits associated
with disruptive technologies into travel and tourism industry are discussed with use of the
following:
Mobile application: The mobile app helps the travellers to plan the travel, bookings of
the accommodation, ticket bookings, booking of cab, mapping of route and others. Real time
travel tracking application becomes one of the important mobile apps which track the motion of
the cars, buses (Jovanovic 2016). The public transport agency started to use of IoT technology as
well as GPS devices to offer live information about the transport. Development of tracker time
app settlements the travel organization a lot. Several app provides of travel cashless and ease of
all types of payments. The tourism mobile application delivered of following travel services to
the travellers such as:
a. Navigation: GPS services and route planning
b. Social: Updates of the travel, free communication (Dima, Ţenescu and Bosun
2014).

7
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
c. Mobile marketing: Discounts and offering off travel alerts
d. Security: Medical emergency, emergency calling
e. E-commerce: Booking of tickets, reservations and shopping
Therefore, mobile app extends all types of tourism businesses such as travel packages,
bookings of the hotel, ticketing, guided tours and others (Ayeh, Au and Law 2013). There is
steady rise into generation of revenue by 30 percent after launching of the mobile application.
Alerts: Most of the travellers within the selected industry used of mobile communication
devices on the road such as tablet, cell phones. The industry keeps the customers updated with
the changes and send of delay notices to them. It is done through email, text, messaging and GPS
tagging (Vu et al. 2015). When the customer booked for the travel service, then it is easier to
send the booking confirmation number to the mobile number through SMS. The passenger is
feeling comforted to know that the record of the reference number is being received. When there
is delay into the travel, the organization cannot waste the time behind update with the individual
customers. The call cost is avoided by ending of SMS. At the time of special offers provided to
the customers, the travel industry keeps the customers updated with the latest offers, discounts as
well as coupons by sending alerts.
Mobility: The industry uses of the mobile services from anywhere to meet with their
needs. The industry uses of the mobile technology in order to achieve the satisfaction level of the
customers (Fuchs, Hopken and Lexhagen 2014). It enhances the productivity of the employee
and gains of brand value along with growth into the revenue. Into the travel industry, the
customer services are a key and productivity of the employees are become crucial. The industry
develops of innovative mobility solutions for their business processes. The mobility solutions

8
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
help the industry such as airlines, hotels and other industry. The solutions provide with some of
the specifications as: information of the tourist, ticketing solution, lounge solutions, check-in as
well as boarding solutions and booking of the vehicle solutions (Dima, Ţenescu and Bosun
2014). Apart from it, the mobility solutions help the travel industry in tracking of asset; getting
of real time status related to inventory, resource management, boost of the efficiency of
employees and warehouse management.
6.0 Disadvantages of information system and analyzing security issues
6.1 Disadvantages of information system used in travel industry
The consumption of the information technology into the industry is not well organized as
there is still lack of technical resources. The use of lower cost of internet creates problem of
insufficient resources in order to conduct the website. The internet reduces the cost of
distribution which results into elimination of commissions of the intermediate (Ponte et al.
2015). There is lot of demand of the tourism in now a day’s and long term service is not possible
in this area.
6.2 Analyzing the security issues in travel and tourism industry
Gretzel et al. (2015) observed that the selected industry faces a lot of security issues
while managing their privacy of their passenger’s data and information.
Steal the personal data: The hackers get access to the corporate sensitive information
and data. Those data are included of vendor information, records of the customers and their bank
details, personal data connected to the company furthermore others are hacked by the hackers.
Most of the industry takes the details of the travellers such as name, birth dates, telephone

9
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
number, email ID and bank details and it is stored within the database of the company (Dima,
Ţenescu and Bosun 2014). Therefore, when the hackers stole the personal data of the customers
from the travel information system, it becomes viral.
Lack of authentication of data: Most of the online travel industry does not have security
measures implemented in their organization. Only third party is provided the two-factor
authentication like the challenge questions and verification code send to the Smartphone of the
account holder (Mason 2015). Most of the passengers re-use of their username and password
combinations at all the login credentials, therefore the hackers can easily hack the account.
Anonymity of the reward points: Loyalty programs award reward points to the customers
to provide them some important value. It builds trust of the customers. Therefore, the hackers are
focused on the loyalty customers to steal their valuable points by redeeming them for the gift
cards. It makes critical to outline digitally.
6.3 Profitability of the travel and tourism industry
No, due to web presence, it is not compulsory that the travel and tourism company can
gain profitability. Sometimes, it is possible that the company is not able to provide required
services and not meet with the customer’s expectations. The travel operator is not focused on
only one destination. It also offers of other destinations to the traveller. It lessens the cost for
opportunity so as to avoid of losing the opportunity over the travel business.
7.0 Conclusion
It is concluded that the selected industry is transforming the travel plans as well as
strategies with help of improved disruptive technologies. New and developed IT solutions are

10
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
used to run the travelling operations effectively. Through use of mobile application, the customer
can search for their travel destinations, do the bookings through online portal and reserve the
travel seats, hotels and transport. It is analyzed that technology plays a key significant role into
the industry as the passengers can do online booking of tickets and hotel reservations. The
technological advancement saves the manpower along with save time to empower the passengers
to take their own decision. It is created to deal with conveniences while it is used to increase of
revenue and lessen the customer services. The world of disruptive technologies made the travel
safe along with secured storage of passenger’s data. Due to use of Smartphone, the travellers
remote for check-in, get real time information about their travel; get SMS alerts at time of delay,
paperless boarding passes in addition to GPS. The disruptive technologies use the industry to
achieve productivity, gain of competitive advantage along with satisfy the customers.
8.0 Recommendations
Following are the recommendations which are suggested to the “travel and tourism
industry” while using of disruptive technologies for their business operations:
Secured travel portal: The industry should use of secured online portal for the travelers
those are login into the site for booking of tickets, hotels and others. The sensitive data of the
passenger are not shared with others and the passengers should keep the data secured by three
way authentication password. The information of the passengers is kept secured by the
organization into the company’s database system.
Invite for the customer’s feedback: The industry should be in contact with their
passengers to serve them better. A suggestion box is provided to the customer for their feedback
so that the industry can improve their travel business.

11
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
Set for an effective communication channel: In order to set up the industry more
effectively, they can make improvement into their communication channel for proper interaction
among the business organization along with passengers.

12
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
References
Ayeh, J.K., Au, N. and Law, R., 2013. Predicting the intention to use consumer-generated media
for travel planning. Tourism Management, 35, pp.132-143.
Chung, N., Lee, S. and Han, H., 2015. Understanding communication types on travel information
sharing in social media: A transactive memory systems perspective. Telematics and
Informatics, 32(4), pp.564-575.
Dedeke, A.N., 2016. Travel web-site design: Information task-fit, service quality and purchase
intention. Tourism management, 54, pp.541-554.
Dima, I.C., Ţenescu, A. and Bosun, P., 2014. Informational stocks and e-logistics management
of a tourism company. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, 16(1), pp.75-85.
Filieri, R. and McLeay, F., 2014. E-WOM and accommodation: An analysis of the factors that
influence travelers’ adoption of information from online reviews. Journal of Travel
Research, 53(1), pp.44-57.
Fuchs, M., Höpken, W. and Lexhagen, M., 2014. Big data analytics for knowledge generation in
tourism destinations–A case from Sweden. Journal of destination marketing &
management, 3(4), pp.198-209.
Gretzel, U., Koo, C., Sigala, M. and Xiang, Z., 2015. Special issue on smart tourism:
convergence of information technologies, experiences, and theories. Electronic Markets, 25(3),
pp.175-177.

13
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
Gretzel, U., Sigala, M., Xiang, Z. and Koo, C., 2015. Smart tourism: foundations and
developments. Electronic Markets, 25(3), pp.179-188.
Jovanović, V., 2016. The application of GIS and its components in tourism. Yugoslav Journal of
Operations Research, 18(2).
Koo, C., Gretzel, U., Hunter, W.C. and Chung, N., 2015. The role of IT in tourism. Asia Pacific
Journal of Information Systems, 25(1), pp.99-104.
Law, R., Buhalis, D. and Cobanoglu, C., 2014. Progress on information and communication
technologies in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management, 26(5), pp.727-750.
Mason, P., 2015. Tourism impacts, planning and management. Routledge.
Mok, C., Sparks, B. and Kadampully, J., 2013. Service quality management in hospitality,
tourism, and leisure. Routledge.
Neuhofer, B., Buhalis, D. and Ladkin, A., 2014. A typology of technology‐enhanced tourism
experiences. International Journal of Tourism Research, 16(4), pp.340-350.
Ponte, E.B., Carvajal-Trujillo, E. and Escobar-Rodríguez, T., 2015. Influence of trust and
perceived value on the intention to purchase travel online: Integrating the effects of assurance on
trust antecedents. Tourism Management, 47, pp.286-302.
Schegg, R. and Stangl, B., 2017. Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism
2017.

14
INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
Standing, C., Tang-Taye, J.P. and Boyer, M., 2014. The impact of the Internet in travel and
tourism: A research review 2001–2010. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 31(1), pp.82-
113.
Vu, H.Q., Li, G., Law, R. and Ye, B.H., 2015. Exploring the travel behaviors of inbound tourists
to Hong Kong using geotagged photos. Tourism Management, 46, pp.222-232.
Wang, D., Xiang, Z. and Fesenmaier, D.R., 2016. Smartphone use in everyday life and
travel. Journal of Travel Research, 55(1), pp.52-63.
Xiang, Z., Magnini, V.P. and Fesenmaier, D.R., 2015. Information technology and consumer
behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using the internet. Journal of
Retailing and Consumer Services, 22, pp.244-249.