Еvaluating the impact of innovative technologies on the management of tour services

Abstract

Purpose: The study aims to examine the effect of advanced technologies on tour service management in organising excursions and the overall quality of tourism services. Design/Methodology/Approach: This research formed part of a larger study that embraced the case study research design that adopted quantitative and qualitative data. Data collection involved questionnaires completed by 137 respondents representing the tourism business sector in four European countries: Italy, France, Germany, and Ukraine. Moreover, the 23 industry experts were interviewed using an in-depth interview technique that primarily offered qualitative information. Correlation regression analysis was used to study technology usage patterns, and content analysis was used to get thematic trends and challenges. Research Limitation: The sample size selected is adequate for preliminary findings, but the results may not be very generalisable for other categories of businesses in the tourism industry. Findings: The study's findings established that using Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) significantly improved the quality of excursions. The use of IoT was also revealed to enhance the control of tourist traffic, increase the level of security, and better the utilisation of resources. Practical Implication: The study's practical significance lies in developing recommendations to enhance excursion management efficiency, such as integrating VR-based interactive tours. Social Implication: VR, AI, and IoT can make valuable contributions to the tourist experience and increase customer satisfaction. Originality/ Value: This work contributes by elaborating on how excursion management can be enhanced through the application of advanced technologies, including but not limited to VR, AI, and IoT, with a particular focus on the challenges that may arise in small and medium-sized enterprises operating within the tourism sector.