Abstract
The influence of ICT on tourism and hospitality is related to the facilitation of contact with stakeholders, acting as an effective distribution channel, and providing an effective forum for marketing, among other things. Tourism and hospitality are heavily reliant on information and communication technology in developing countries as well as in the developed nations. ICT has had a major effect on this market. The primary goal of this research is to identify the difference in ICT advancement and adaptation between developed and developing countries, as well as to determine how developing countries can benefit from it and make recommendations. This research was conducted using a qualitative approach. Using various types of literature such as research papers, articles, and books, this study highlights and scrutinizes the significance of ICT and how these actions contribute to the tourism and hospitality sector to raise awareness among academicians, researchers, tourism businesses, and government officials about the effectiveness of ICT applications in tourism and hospitality.
TopIntroduction
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council's (WTTC) annual report, the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was 4.4 percent of total GDP in 2018, with this sector supporting 3.9 percent of total employment (24, 14,400 jobs) and visitor exports accounting for 0.8 percent of total exports (2018, WTTC). ICT is an abbreviation for information and communication technology used to improve any company or organization. Tourism and hospitality have emerged as one of the most exciting fields of work in recent years. Most tourism and hospitality companies are heavily reliant on information and communication technology (Khatri, 2019). ICT is used for a wide range of tasks, from customer recruitment to higher-level administrative tasks. As a result, there is a strong relationship between ICT and the tourism and hospitality industries. The performance has grown in significance, and it can now be seen as a model for developing countries. This remarkable success can be attributed mainly to implementing information and communication technology (Richard, 2013). Each year, significant capital is invested in developing goods and services and enhancing hotel operations (Paryani et al., 2010). Improving the efficiency of this sector's operation has emerged as one of the most pressing concerns in an increasingly volatile global market, with improvements in distribution channels, marketing services, and customer relationship management serving as critical components. For the hospitality industry, in particular, the Internet not only contributes significantly to the dissemination of information about the provided goods and services on the broadest possible scale, but it also facilitates their merchandising process.
The use of the Internet has brought new products and services, new ways of managing tourism operations and businesses in the region, and even today, determines a continuous optimization of the acquisition and promotion processes for tourism services. Tourism, leisure, hospitality, and the hotel industry all depend heavily on information and communication technology. The incorporation of ICT in the hotel industry is critical to the success of hotels (Bethapudi, 2013). Some academics agree that ICT will help nations grow economically (Aziz et al., 2012; Kamel, Rateb, & El-Tawil, 2009). American and European hotels have successfully integrated systems such as computer reservation system (CRS), customer relation management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM), project management system (PMS), knowledge management system (KMS), and office automation system (OAS) and are reaping the intended benefits (Li, 2012). Most third-world countries continue to face challenges in effectively administering ICT to improve their industry's operational efficiency (Shereni, 2020). These include a lack of guidance and mechanisms for ICT implementation, a lack of modern ICTs, ineffective organizational methods, the influence of corruption, and unfeasible policies affecting industries such as the hotel sector (Makiwa, 2018). Based on these constraints, many modern hotels in most third-world countries have struggled to mature and contribute significantly to ICT adoption in tourism and HI (Harris, 2019).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Tourism and Hospitality Industry: The tourism and hospitality industry encompasses a diverse range of businesses, including lodging, restaurants, tourism destinations and attractions, as well as airlines and other modes of transport. They not only stimulate economic activity, but also create jobs, generate revenue, and contribute significantly to development.
Developing Country: A developing country is one that has a less developed industrial base and a low Human Development Index when compared to other nations.
Hotel: A hotel, inn, tourist camp, tourist court, tourist cabin, motel, or any other place where rooms, lodgings, or accommodations are furnished to transients for a fee for short-term basis.
Culture: Culture is a term that refers to the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, and includes language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, and the arts.
Tourism Development: Tourism development is the process of establishing and maintaining a tourism industry in a particular location. At its most fundamental level, tourism development can be defined as the process of developing strategies and plans to increase/develop/encourage tourism in a particular destination.
Marketing: Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes involved in developing, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that are valuable to customers, clients, partners, and society at large.
Information and Communication Technology: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) is a broader term for information technology (IT), which encompasses all communication technologies, such as the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software, middleware, video conferencing, social networking, and other media applications and services.