The lost tourist in a cross border region, asking for alignment of information architectures

Abstract

In the tourist industry two general components can be distinguished, supply and demand. The suppliers (persons and landscape) produce different elements for the tourist recreation product. Tourists link these products to one product and this is expressed in time-space behaviour (Dietvorst, 1995). So long as the tourist prevails a region, located in one country, (s)he has no real problems; the management of enterprises, services and commodities as well as information supply is more or less constant. The tourist is not confronted with different approaches and organisation structures. By crossing borders the tourist gets new perspectives (and problems?). Each country has its own strategy and culture to guide tourism developments, e.g., in attracting tourists, in planning of tourist commodities and in managing tourist information services. This national approach is changing due to increasing cross border movements of tourists and due to developments in information systems. Jansen-Verbeke (1993) stated: “The map of Europe no longer consists of separate countries but of regions. Borders become irrelevant... and this has consequences for the tourist companies... Interaction between nearby regions will be of big importance.” In addition, Dietvorst (1993) stated that the shift from ‘supply-thinking’ to ’demand-thinking’ is typical for the development of tourism in the eighties. Suppliers have to focus more upon the needs and preferences of potential users and visitors. In this paper we will focus on the process (function), motivation, time and space (network) aspect of the tourist value chain (Reus, 1995).