Impact Of ICT On Travel Agency Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Impact Of ICT On Travel Agency. Answer: Usage and value of information and communication technology on travel agency: Synopsis: The continuous evolution of the field of ICT or information and communication technology has a considerable effect on the service industry of travel agency. The huge public usage of the Internet has generated various conditions that are game changers. This has been both in detrimental and beneficial ways for the current travel agency. Due to this, various travel agencies of this century have needed to make substantial adaptations for remaining relevant and solvent. Critique: According to Law, Buhalis and Cobanoglu (2014) the computers have been the essential part of todays business of travel agency due to their broad adoption. Due to this the information age has brought notable new benefits. The information could be stored faster than previously. It can be argued that the organization of data helps the agencies for running more effectively restricting the productivity losses because of input time and the other monotonous tasks. The enhanced communication technology has highly broadened the methods where the travel agency could communicate with the customers along with the customers and the partner services and business connections. Law et al., (2015) stated that the internet connections with high speed have been allowing the text, voice and video communications almost instantly around the globe. This has been done many times at considerably lesser cost than the conventional methods like the long-distance telephony could offer. This has been allowing the coordination and booking that could have taken about few hours or days processed almost immediately highly decreasing the lost productivity and the wait times. Another important effect on the travel agency is the growth of online booking. The customers seeking to book any trip do not need to visit the agency. They could go online to various companies for booking an entire trip. Besides the pressure from the companies and the third parties selling products over their individual websites, the business of travel has not expired or in danger to die as researched by Krcher (2013). Various agencies have been changing their focus over online services from the conventional services like hotel bookings and airlines. This is done while maintaining few physical stores where the business has been sufficient for doing. Since the travel agencies have been primarily the information brokerages connecting clients with the services, the commissions have been the essential basis of the income of the agency (Benckendorff, Sheldon Fesenmaier, 2014). It seems as though various agencies witnessed sharp decline of income from the in-person sales. Reflection: It is evident from the above studies that though the adopting of new technologies have subjected travel industry to rising pains, the industry has been still sound. The main focus of most of the agencies is directed towards online sales permitting customers the scope for booking their trips. This has been without any constraints of office hours or the head-ache regarding own schedules. The conventional travel agency would see more evolution as the technology advances. However, as long as the demand about packaged travel exists, there should be space for travel agencies in both online and offline. References: Benckendorff, P. J., Sheldon, P. J., Fesenmaier, D. R. (2014).Tourism information technology. Cabi. Krcher, K. (2013).Reinventing the Package Holiday Business: New information and communication technologies. Springer-Verlag. Law, R., Buhalis, D., Cobanoglu, C. (2014). Progress on information and communication technologies in hospitality and tourism.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,26(5), 727-750. Law, R., Leung, R., Lo, A., Leung, D., Fong, L. H. N. (2015). Distribution channel in hospitality and tourism: Revisiting disintermediation from the perspectives of hotels and travel agencies.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,27(3), 431-452.