Application of Electronic Tourism in Developing Countries : Tools for Empowering Consumers and Small Service Providers in Tourism Value Chain

Globally, tourism value chains for distribution of information as well as transactions flows are increasingly converging to the Internet, implying that destination, especially those in developing countries, must improve their information and communication technology capacity if they are to benefit optimally from tourism. The book examines the extent of utilisation of the Internet technologies and free and open source software in Tanzania tourism system as representative of a number of developing countries. It is revealed, through a combination of research methodologies, that practically all players in the value chain employed various types of information technologies, albeit at different levels. It is concluded that sufficient levels of web skills including the ability to conduct effective web analytics, right information culture and appropriate macro policies are prerequisites if destinations in developing countries such as Tanzania are to harness the potential of eTourism.