The Promise of Information Technology in the Travel Industry

Abstract

Two words best characterize the future for the travel industry: growth and change. Many global forces have driven companies in this industry to adapt quickly to survive and remain competitive. Information technology plays a vital role in the way the travel industry responds as the world is “getting connected” at almost every level. The purpose of this paper is three-fold. First, the effect of network computing, the combination of electronic ticketing and smart cards, corporate travel management systems, and other trends that are transforming the travel industry will be examined. Second, the public policy issues involved such as the liberalization of government regulations, affordability and ease-of-use, and data security and privacy will be examined. Finally, the future direction of underlying technologies such as displays, storage, and microprocessors and advancements in the global networking infrastructure, mobility, and speech recognition will be presented.