Information Technology & Tourism 

About: Information Technology & Tourism is an academic journal published by Springer Science+Business Media. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Tourism & The Internet. It has an ISSN identifier of 1098-3058. Over the lifetime, 445 publications have been published receiving 12111 citations. The journal is also known as: ITT & Information technology and tourism.

What motivates consumers to write online travel reviews

Abstract: The Web provides a fertile ground for word-of-mouth communication and more and more consumers write about and share product-related experiences online. Given the experiential nature of tourism, such first-hand knowledge communicated by other travelers is especially useful for travel decision making. However, very little is known about what motivates consumers to write online travel reviews. A Web-based survey using an online consumer panel was conducted to investigate consumers' motivations to write online travel reviews. Measurement scales to gauge the motivations to contribute online travel reviews were developed and tested. The results indicate that online travel review writers are mostly motivated by helping a travel service provider, concerns for other consumers, and needs for enjoyment/positive self-enhancement. Venting negative feelings through postings is clearly not seen as an important motive. Motivational differences were found for gender and income level. Implications of the findings for online travel communities and tourism marketers are discussed.

e-Tourism beyond COVID-19: a call for transformative research

Abstract: This viewpoint article argues that the impacts of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 call for transformative e-Tourism research. We are at a crossroads where one road takes us to e-Tourism as it was before the crisis, whereas the other holds the potential to transform e-Tourism. To realize this potential, e-Tourism research needs to challenge existing paradigms and critically evaluate its ontological and epistemological foundations. In light of the paramount importance to rethink contemporary science, growth, and technology paradigms, we present six pillars to guide scholars in their efforts to transform e-Tourism through their research, including historicity, reflexivity, equity, transparency, plurality, and creativity. We conclude the paper with a call to the e-Tourism research community to embrace transformative research.

Mobile recommender systems.

Abstract: Mobile phones are becoming a primary platform for information access and when coupled with recommender systems technologies they can become key tools for mobile users both for leisure and business applications. Recommendation techniques can increase the usability of mobile systems providing personalized and more focussed content, hence limiting the negative effects of information overload. In this paper we review the major issues and opportunities that the mobile scenario opens to the application of recommender systems especially in the area of travel and tourism. We overview major techniques that have been proposed in the last years and we illustrate the supported functions. We also illustrate specific computational models that have been proposed for mobile recommender systems and we close the paper by presenting some possible future developments and extension in this area.

Projected destination image online: website content analysis of pictures and text.

Abstract: This study analyzes how destination identity is projected through the use of photographic imagery and narratives in an online environment in the context of marketing a fast growing tourist destination such as Dubai. Twenty Dubai-based websites, covering various sectors of the industry, were content analyzed in terms of the photographic material and textual representations presented. Results confirm that there are, as expected, considerable discrepancies in the way the private and public players project Dubai’s identity. Private sector organizations, in particular hospitality and transport, are product oriented and projected images relate primarily to the specific facilities and tourist activities on offer. In contrast, the destination marketing organization focuses on the projection of cultural identity and heritage.

Identifying significant factors influencing consumer trust in an online travel site.

Abstract: The critical role of trust as an enabler, especially in a relationship in which the consumer does not have direct control over the actions of a seller and in which marketers seek long-term relations with their consumers, has been widely recognized in both academia and industry. Based on previous studies in multiple disciplines, this study develops a model representing the determinants of consumer trust in an online travel site and reports the results of an empirical investigation for this model. Theoretically, the study advances our current understanding of consumer trust in e-commerce by proposing a model and providing evidence for the major elements contributing to the formation of this construct. From a managerial perspective, the study provides practitioners with practical insights on how to design Internet marketing strategies that can initiate, develop, and maintain consumer trust.