| The Internet offers an effective means for developing | | | | to plan and book their own trips. It has revolutionised |
| a single and sustainable electronic infrastructure for | | | | the travel industry as a whole and instigated a trend |
| information gathering and business transactions for | | | | away from the customer using a travel agent. |
| both travellers and suppliers. It is an ideal method for | | | | There are four Internet business models that can be |
| people to source information on travel. It is an essential | | | | applied to the travel industry. The business models and |
| for travel-related Websites to offer useful, pertinent | | | | examples of businesses within them are as follows: |
| and easy-to-find information alongside a booking facility | | | | 1) The merchant model, which brings buyers and sellers |
| if appropriate. | | | | together. It could be argued that this model is |
| It can be used to fully research a destination, book all | | | | effectively an online travel agent. Websites in this |
| aspects of the holiday including travel and | | | | business model category include Travelocity who have |
| communicate others who have the same ideas or | | | | recently purchased and Expedia - an offshoot from |
| have been through similar experiences. It gives | | | | Microsoft. |
| travellers an excellent opportunity to compare and | | | | 2) The advertising model, providing valuable travel |
| contrast everything on offer before they make a | | | | information whilst generating revenue through various |
| purchase. | | | | adverts. The significant advantage of this model is its |
| The information available online is continually being | | | | low cost base. A website in this business model that |
| reformatted and presented in a more logical, | | | | provides information on the UK is |
| easy-to-use and read format. The volume of | | | | 3) The direct model allows the service provider |
| consumers that rely on this information to make | | | | themselves to deal directly with the general public. First |
| travel-related decisions will therefore continue to rise. In | | | | of all, British Airways is the longest established and has |
| addition, features and benefits of using the Internet to | | | | a large marketshare and conventional competitive |
| research and book holidays are improving and being | | | | advantage. Secondly, EasyJet have established the |
| added to all the time. For example, consumers no | | | | Internet as being key to their core competency. |
| longer have to receive printed tickets from the travel | | | | 4) The community model is one of the longest |
| operator. They simply print out any information that | | | | established operating models on the Internet without |
| they require themselves after they receive it | | | | having a history of generating a significant revenue |
| automatically via email. | | | | stream. Two websites reviewed that fall into this |
| The 'Net' has meant that people can now easily plan | | | | category are Lonely Planet - based upon the books |
| trips for themselves. This has not only opened up a | | | | that have been published for more than thirty years, |
| greater amount of discounts available to the general | | | | and - a community of individuals who have a passion |
| public, but also given people the fun and enjoyment of | | | | for travel. |
| planning and booking their own trips. | | | | Although it can be argued that some websites are |
| Prior to the Internet, travel agents were the primary | | | | using a mixture of several business models, it is |
| source of information and facilitating bookings within | | | | interesting to acknowledge that just because a |
| the travel industry. However, the onset of Net | | | | business generates the majority of its revenue online, it |
| popularity has seriously impacted upon the future | | | | doesn't mean that conventional business models can't |
| success of a telephone or face-to-face based travel | | | | be applied to them. |
| agency. The Internet now allows individuals the ability | | | | |