Information Technology Impact on Tourism and Hospitality Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Tourism and hospitality industry is the largest industry in the world after machinery industry and oil industry. As well as tourism and hospitality industry is the main profitable industry in Sri Lanka. Many Sri Lankan peoples are depend on tourism and hospitality industry. Tourism and hospitality industry became a key sector in the Sri Lankan economy. Nowadays information and technology is the major impact on every industry. In the present, Information technology has acted an most important role in the tourism and hospitality industry. Technology helped for every industry to reduce cost, improve services, get good customer experience and increase operational efficiency. When information technology is developed both consumers and business can get more benefits of the products or services. This paper aims is discussed information technology how can apply for Sri Lankan tourism and hospitality industry and how can develop it.

Keywords: Information technology, hospitality industry

Introduction

Sri Lanka has many attractive places as a tourist terminus, like rainforest, mountain scenery, beautiful lakes, waterfalls, natural beaches and ruins of civilization. These are places nicely make more attractive to travelers. Most importantly thing is Sri Lankan peoples are very kind and very friendly. Sri Lanka has many cultures, like, Buddhist, Hindu, Islam, christen. Tourists can get more knowledge about it. There is so many various types of tourism activates. It’s base on unique culture, most beautiful nature , rural life style of people, friendly people. Therefore tourism industry is most developing industry and largest industry in Sri Lanka. Tourism and hospitality are developing by using knowledge of information technology day by day in Sri Lanka.

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Information technology is developed in day by day, Information technology has helped for tourism and hospitality industry for reduce costs, improve services and product, give the customer for good experience, increase operational efficiency. Information technology can replace expensive of human labor with technology labor. These methods can reduce labor cost and give the good experience for customer. Internet is the most important impact on tourism and hospitality industry. Easily travelers can get experience with your hotel or services is visit to your website. There are pictures and feedback from past guests. They can look and get idea about it. Many hotels use the internet, computer system, mobile communication.

The computer system can communicate between hotel and can access with multiple location easier. It makes your guest experience feel better. Another most technology part is mobile communication. Traveler can connect by using mobile tablets and mobile phones. It is very useful and helpful because everyone can access by using mobile device. They can reservation by using mobile phone, booking rooms, booking vehicle and offer deals by using GPS. Information technology is helped for tourism and hospitality industry to speed up to an operation and help to travel with enjoyable and efficient. Not only large hotel but can also use to smaller companies in the tourism and hospitality industry. IT use for these side of tourism and hospitality industry.

e-Tourism

e-Tourism is to use for IT application for design, analysis and implementation of tourism and hospitality industry. Build the electronic process between consumer and business. The perspective of communication science e-Tourism is used every process of tourism and hospitality industry in Information technology application. e-Tourism means digitalization of all process and value chains of the tourism and hospitality industry. e-Tourism use for travel, hospitality, tourism and catering industry. By using this technology organization can get maximum profit. Figure 1- Combination of these sub system Integrate business system, IT system, tourism system is the e-tourism.

Travel Technology

Travel technology is using for information technology application in travel and tourism. Travel technology help for many methods to travelers in terms of car booking, hotel booking, airline reservation, tour package, flight booking, vacation package and so on.

Apllication for the travel technology

In the present day, famous travel technology is GPS. It can be guided for everyone, don’t want to provide by guidebook in audio. There is much application uses for travel technology like internet, reservation system, computer system, mobile application and so on.

• Internet

The Internet is a main impact of the tourism industry in Sir Lanka. Before coming to the Sri Lanka traveler get the experience by visiting the website. They can see photos of the places and hotels what do they expect. Information technology can increase Sri Lanka revenue. By using Social media websites, online adverting, online ordering can useful to travelers choose the nice place.

• Reservation system

Reservation system is before coming to Sri Lanka they can book their hotel rooms and vehicle. Easily consumers can their expense of their hotel rooms.

• Computer system

All computers are connected to each others. Car booking, reservation system all are connected therefore can keep all the details in the one system. They save the details in staff members page. Keep all details in one single page.

• Mobile communication

Many of travelers are using mobile communication device in the road by using their mobile phone or tablet. When coming to Sri Lanka, they can search every location, delay notices, many offers. By using emails, texts messaging GPS can be communication.

• Technology travel agency

Main part of the e-tourism is travel agency. When using travel agency can direct online booking on airline tickets. When traveler booking airline they can get to hotel reservation services also. Sometime they provide travel insurance. These application can use for a hotel booking, airline reversion, car booking, flight booking, tour booking and vacation package and so on.

Use of Internet in Travel Technology

Online hotel reservations Booking rooms are the main method of hotel reservation. Consumers can book hotel rooms by using mobile phone or computers. They protect their privacy and security as well as financial information. Travel can compare price and facilities about hotels. It is the main thing when using online hotel reservation. Travelers can get telephone call or message to the hotel directly. After hotel staff book hotel rooms for consumers. In presents-day travelers can get pictures of hotels and rooms details about their prices and deals. Online hotel reservation is very helpful for save time. It can use for last minute travel arrangements. There are many website have for deals on rooms. Before come travelers they can book their rooms and they can pay their bill before come.

• Advantages of online hotel reservation

It is necessary for in the presents-day society because they can save them money. Online hotel reservation can use small and large hotels. Sometime an increasing number of consumer book the hotel. Therefore not enough space. But using online hotel reservation can easily book hotel. Another reasons of hotel reservation system:

1. In the presents-day there are so many small hotels They do not have booking facilities. Therefore few people can stay in these place. But using hotel reservation system can get many advantages hotel owners and travelers.
2. Hotel staff can immediately update about reservation.

It can save time and costly

Car booking

Travelers can book vehicle by using mobile phone or computers. They protect privacy of travelers and financial details.

Ariline reservation

Airline reservation system provide to direct contact with the passengers. Passenger services system (PSS) is a part of airline reservation system.(ARS) Travelers can check the ticket price before booking the ticket by using mobile phones or computers. It is very helpful for people.

Package tour

Package tour is plan for tour on vacation or holidays. That provides rental car or van and activities or outing the vacation or holiday. Tour operator is organized by package holidays.

Digital conference capabilities

Digital conference facilities are the new technology in the present day society. Hotels want to be able to access to audio visual (AV) and digital capabilities for conference. It is base on IOT (Internet On Things) when using digital conference reduce staff workloads, makes life in better for attendees and generate revenue. This equipment is available for digital conference in capabilities

• Video conferencing system

This system include document sharing, graphic presentation, chat and web access.

• Use of Polycom speakerphone

Use clear phone calls during a meeting with participants. Everyone wanst to the hears conversation.

• Visual projectors or digital audio

To displaying graphs, documents, visual aids and images on the screen.

• Use high quality speakers

It is essential for high quality speakers for overall things.

• Wi-Fi connection

Near Field Communication technology (NFC)

Near field, communication is wireless communication technology. It can be ability to exchange data between mobile device. Near field communication technology use for making mobile payments. (By using to a phone to credit card). The traveler can easily pay hotel bill and vehicle rents. 4.Five major technology that important on tourism and hospitality industry in future

1. Free Wi-Fi
2. Mobile device
3. Social media
4. Remote office and meeting
5. Digital signature

These five major factors plays a key role in tourism and hospitality industry in future.

Free Wi-Fi

All hotels provide free Wi-Fi facilities in Sri Lanka. The traveler who travel with their mobile phone or tablets. They can access free Wi-Fi in everywhere. In past hotels owner charge in money for when guests are connected to Wi-Fi. But nowadays many hotels provide free Wi-Fi facilities. They use high density of Wi-Fi facilities.

Mobile device

Mobile device are mobile phone or tablets. A mobile device is operating in all things in the hand. They are many facilities provide by mobile device, like, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular network, camera, media players, video games, GPS, receive tell phone calls, NFC and so on.

Social media

Social media is the main impact of the social media. It can be provide all information about hotels, reservation system and facilities. Nowadays every hotels has face book, twitter account as well as the web page. The traveler can search and get information and can easily book hotels or reservation system.

Remote office and meeting place

Using higher density Wi-Fi and audio visual (AV) can connect to the digital conference and meeting. Using digital equipment of AV can easily connect to the remote office.

Digital signature

In past days, check in, check out, and services are done by paperwork, like, payments, get some service and so on. In present days many hotels not done by paper worked. They use for these technology for make digital signature.

1. Firstly get signature for the traveler
2. Secondly scan it

Store the database

When traveler come to hotel, check the form they fill. After display all the details of guest. Guest sign after to pad within in few minute key and room number can automatically. When using these methods we can,

• saving cost
• saving time
• Imaging high brand image
• Customer’s satisfaction

Use of social marketing

Usage of social media for tourism and hospitality industry 75% of people respondent to the social media. 44.44% of people use for social network like face book, Google plus and twitter. 22.22% people content sharing sites. Example YouTube. By using social network people search hotels and tour packages. And promoting their hotel, product and services. They update day to day activities regarding their products and services.

References

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