Abstract
The intersection of tourism and information technology (IT) is the focus of this book, which is designed for students of tourism and hospitality and for industry professionals. This second edition has been comprehensively revised and extended, taking into account the many changes that have occurred since 1997. The book is organized into five main sections. Part I (chapters 1-2) lays the foundation for the rest of the book by introducing the reader to basic IT concepts and to the uniqueness of tourism information systems. Part II (chapters 3-5) examines how tourists search for information and book their trips. The chapters in this section look at how IT has influenced the travel distribution process and the various travel intermediaries, the use of the internet by tourists, and the use of social media by different tourism stakeholders. Part III (chapters 6-8) deals with travel from the home region to the destination region, and covers mobile technologies and the use of IT in the aviation industry and other transportation modes. Part IV (chapters 9-11) details how IT influences the "staying and playing" at the destination. In particular, the three chapters in this section discuss the influence of IT on the hospitality sector, the ways that IT affects the tourist experience, and the use of IT in destination management. Part V (chapters 12-13) analyses the most important issues and trends that are influencing the application of IT to tourism.