Internet and Intermediaries in the Tourism Distribution Channel - Study of Swedish, Bulgarian and Online Travel Agencies

Abstract

The Internet offers great opportunities for the tourism industry, but has significantly increased the potential for discord among the members of the tourism distribution channel. The threat faced by the disintermediation has influenced both online and traditional travel agents, compelling them to increase the functionality of their websites and implementing e-commerce. This exploratory study combines three different methodologies: content analysis, questionnaire survey and interview, and aims to analyze the adoption of Internet technologies by Online travel agencies and Traditional travel agencies. The samples of Online travel agencies, included in the study, are international, while the Traditional travel agencies are geographically limited to Sweden and Bulgaria. The content analysis examines 73 websites of Swedish, Bulgarian and Online travel agencies, and evaluates their functionality and interactivity according to the eMICA model. The questionnaire survey contains 47 respondents and investigates the influence of the Internet upon company business, the perceived value of the eMICA elements, and challenges faced in operating a commercial website. The interviews, based on open-ended questions, included one Bulgarian and one Swedish travel agency. The results show that Bulgarian and Swedish travel agencies display mainly moderate, while Online ones display high, levels of website functionality and interactivity. Moreover, implications are discussed in terms of how travel agencies could improve website functionality and effectively market their product offerings online.