Chapter 9 - eTour operators
Chapter questions
1
Why are ICTs critical for the operational management of tour operators?
2
What key technologies are used by tour operators?
3
Why do different types of tour operators have different ICT needs and requirements?
4
Why do tour operators still support videotext-based solutions?
5
Explore why standardization and interoperability are more critical for tour operators than other tourism actors.
6
Explain why tour operators need to be integrated for supporting their operational management.
7
How can tour operators of the future take advantage of ICTs strategically?
8
What is a multi-channel strategy, and how can it be beneficial for a tour operator?
9
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a multi-channel strategy?
10
Explore the impacts of interactive digital television for tour operators.
11
How does the concentration of European tour operators influence their ICT requirements?
12
How can small tour operators take advantage of the Internet?
13
What strategies should be followed for medium-sized tour operators?
Further reading
Bennett, M. and Radburn, M. (1991) Information technology in tourism: the impact on the industry and supply of
holidays, in Sinclair, T. and Stabler, M. (eds), The Tourism Industry: An International Analysis, CAB
International, Oxford, pp. 45–67.
Buhalis, D. and Laws, E. (2001) Tourism Distribution Channels, Continuum, London.
Bywater, M. (2001) Travel distribution: who owns whom in the European travel distribution industry, in Buhalis,
D. and Laws, E. (eds), Tourism Distribution Channels, Continuum, London.
Edwards, G., Dawes, C. and Kärcher, K. (1998) The Imminus travel and tourism intranet, in Buhalis, D., Tjoa,
A.M. and Jafari, J. (eds), Information and Communications Technologies in Tourism, ENTER 1998
Proceedings, Springer-Verlag, Vienna, pp. 190 –201.
Inkpen, G. (1998) Information Technology for Travel and Tourism, 2nd edn, Addison Wesley Longman, London.
Kärcher, K. (1997) Reinventing the Package Holiday Business: New Information and Telecommunications
Technologies, DeutscherUniversitatsVerlag, Gabler, Germany.
Marcussen, C. (2000) Tour operators in Scandinavia and Finland on the Net: a European perspective, Anatolia,
11(1), pp. 6 –21.
Moon, D. (1994) Deployment of computer networks in leisure packaged tour marketing in the USA, Journal of
Vacation Marketing, 1(1), 43–60.
Websites (end of chapter)
Tour Operators Directory: www.travelgate.co.uk
Association of Independent Tour Operators: www.aito.co.uk
Federation of Tour Operators: www.fto.co.uk
European Tour Operators Association: www.etoa.org
Tour operators
TUI: www.tui.com
Thomson: www.thomson.com
Airtours: www.airtours.co.uk
Bridge Travel Services: www.bridgetravel.co.uk
Cosmos: www.cosmos-holidays.co.uk
Cresta: www.crestaholidays.co.uk
Crystal Holidays: www.crystalholidays.co.uk
Kuoni: www.kuoni.co.uk
Olympic Holidays: www.olympicholidays.co.uk
Sunvil: www.sunvil.co.uk
Kirker: www.kirkerholidays.com
KeyCamp: www.keycamp.co.uk
Specialist holidays for skiers
Iglu: www.iglu.com
Complete Skier: www.complete-skier.com
Ski Chalets: www.skichalets.com
I Ski: www.iski.com
Standardization and interconnectivity issues
www.harmonise.org
www.opentravel.org
www.hitis.org
Websites (additional sites of interest)
Company Websites and Internet Links
Tapestry Holidays Resorts Panoramic Views
http://www.tapestryholidays.com/
Tour Operators Systems Suppliers
Amdex Systems Ltd
AO International
Astratis
Anite Business Systems
AO International
Astratis Ltd
BCS Focus Ltd
Billian
Bewotec
Bluesky Travel Systems
Carrera Systems
Centrepoint Software
Comtec
Chauntry Corporation Ltd
Data Management Group Ltd
Datalex UK
DataWorld
Dolphin
Eland Technologies
EMS – Event Management Systems
eTraders
eTravel Gateway
Exodus Systems
Farebase
Franek
Franek Computer Systems Ltd
Galor
Galor Systems & Software
Glasser Whitley Ltd
ICSA T
ILLusions
InfoCentre
ICSAT
JFA Systems Ltd
Mach Associates
MetaFour
MODCOMP
Multicom
MetaFour
Netizen
Open Destinations
Osprey Computer Services Ltd
P & P Associates
Perceptive Vision
Powersoft
Pharos Data Communications Ltd
Qjump
Ramesys
RWA Ltd
SasiaNet
SolarNet
Southfield Systems
Symcom
Symcom PLC
Talisman
Tarsc
TravelData
TravelFlex
Travelink
TravelOptions
TTS - Travel Technology Systems
TAS Solutions Ltd
Travel Options (Software) Limited
traveLink
Ungerboeck
Vinet Global
Voyager
Web Applications UK Ltd
WizApps Limited
Ypsilon Network
MyTravel claims seven per cent of UK web travel market
Holiday firm MyTravel Group claims its e-commerce operation now accounts for more than seven per cent of the
UK internet travel agency market.
http://www.revolutionmagazine.com/news/view.cfm?r=1&id=89340
Press Releases
First Choice has announced its 100,000th online booking.
The figure represents the number of bookings made on the First Choice and Air 2000 websites since launch in
January 2001. http://www.travelmole.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=91193
News Articles
Sabre and Ramesys provide discounted access to leading UK tour booking System
http://www.eyefortravel.com/print.asp?news=31470
First Choice sells three per cent of packages online
Tour operator First Choice is selling around three per cent of its total holiday packages through its main UK site
(www.firstchoice.co.uk).
http://www.revolutionmagazine.com/news/view.cfm?r=1&id=90024
Opodo Launches Online Package Holidays. http://www.eyefortravel.com/print.asp?news=30171
Opodo has entered the online package holiday business with one of the first services which allows consumers to
book package holidays direct over the Internet.
A wake-up call for the industry
By Marian Edmunds
Published: March 11 2002 10:22GMT | Last Updated: March 12 2002 13:07GMT
http://specials.ft.com/ftit/march2002/FT3Z9WRBNYC.html
Scientific and Research News
Wan, C. S., 2002, The web sites of international tourist hotels and tour wholesalers in Taiwan.
Tourism Management, Vol.23, No.2, pp.155-160, 21 ref.
SummaryPlus | Full Text + Links | PDF (103 K)
Dimitrios Buhalis and Maria Cristina Licata 2002 The future eTourism intermediaries, Tourism Management,
Volume 23, Issue 3, June 2002, Pages 207-220
SummaryPlus | Full Text + Links | PDF (179 K)
Planning E-Commerce Projects for the Travel Industry This document focuses on a high level view of planning
an e-commerce project. Considerations outlined in this document must be understood by the project sponsor and
manager. It is not intended as a 'cook book' for rolling out systems, rather it is a guide to issues that need to be
addressed by the http://www.fss-travel.com/reports/planning_ecom_projects.pdf
Online Travel Booking Survey 2000
Leading travel industry e-commerce pioneer Anite Travel Systems’ Online Travel Survey 2000 shows consumer
appetite for online travel content is great – but unsatisfied by travel providers.
http://www.fss-travel.com/reports/anite_revolution.pdf
Internantional CRM Survey 2002
The travel industry has come to realise that it is more important than ever to maintain high customer loyalty.
Customer Relationship Management has been highlighted as the discipline to achieve this. But how well is the
industry adopting CRM? Does the industry even understand what is required? Is CRM just another name for
database marketing?
http://www.fss-travel.com/reports/CRM_2002.pdf
No Turning Back - Tour Operators and E-commerce – Dec 99
UK tour operators are on the brink of a business revolution made possible by e-commerce. The revolution
promises increased revenues and profits in an industry now worth around £8bn a year, but it also threatens the
livelihoods of established players by opening the market to new entrants.
http://www.fss-travel.com/reports/anite_no_turning_back.pdf