关键词:
Co-operative marketing
Electronic commerce
Internet
Tourism
摘要:
Co-operation is crucial to the successful marketing of tourism destinations, and electronic commerce offers exciting new opportunities for co-operation among tourism suppliers. This article examines the reciprocal linking of Websites to create “virtual” tourism destination organisations, whereby consumers can access information and purchase multiple components of a holiday online. A very simple starting point in the formation of a virtual destination marketing organisation is the linking of individual suppliers’ Websites, so that a visitor arriving at one site can click through to complementary sites which contribute to the total destination offer. This paper examines the theoretical and practical benefits of virtual co-operation and reports on a survey, which examines the extent to which electronic commerce is superseding or complementing traditional hierarchical marketing organisations. Based on a sample of tourism suppliers’ Websites in Northern Ireland, very little co-operation was observed. The reasons for this are discussed and recommendations made for future co-operation. © 2000, MCB UP Limited