The impact of ICT on the tourist industry: the case of Catalonia

Abstract

This article provides evidence of the positive impact of the application of information and communication technology (ICT) on the Catalan tourist industry. The importance gained in recent years by the Catalan tourist market in the European context makes it an ideal laboratory for analysing the sector. The results gained show how the use of this technology leads to a higher level of internationalisation of the industry, development of organisational changes and introduction of new competitive strategies, which lead to a business model that is far removed from the traditional conceptions of the sector. Likewise, the strategic use of ICT leads to employment of a better qualified workforce, a more personalised service and closer links with suppliers and distributors. Nonetheless, the positive impact of ICT stands out most in the process of business innovation, as its use has contributed to overcoming some of the obstacles that existed, to integrating this process into the heart of the business and making the workers themselves more involved, providing as a result a wide range innovations (in terms of products, processes and organisation). Participation in cooperative networks, employing workers with higher levels of education and the intensive application of ICT have been key factors in this innovative process. Finally, thanks to the use of ICT and its impact on innovation, but also thanks to organisational change in the industry, improvements have been seen in productivity, which aids greater competitiveness in a changing context and high-pressure environment.