New Technologies have radically changed the concept of the
tourism industry : the Internet and electronic media have transformed the way
in which travelers plan their vacations and arrange the different components of
the trip, from choosing the route or means of transport to cultural visits,
shopping and choice of restaurants, etc. either by an organization prior to the
days of leisure or at the destination using mobile devices.
The promotion and reservation channels have changed to adapt
to a consumer who is increasingly hungry for information about their
possibilities. Tourists have changed their modus operandi and, before starting
their journey, they look for tourist information about their destination on the
Internet, as well as possible accommodations, restaurants, visits, etc.
At the destination they use mobile technologies to seek
advice on the ground about places or businesses that are in their visit. In
this case, positioning technologies and direct interaction with the user play
an essential role.
Once back from vacation, we look for a way to share
experiences and good or bad experiences with potential travelers who will
benefit from these instructions, although they will also narrate the details of
their trips, in such a way that we will help each other and We will facilitate
the organization of our rest days, since we have the personal criteria of
others.
The ability to interact that the world 2.0 provides for the
tourist entrepreneur is enormous when it comes to listening to the direct
opinion of the client and the promotion of the business.
The trip begins the day a user stands in front of the
computer and types the destination linked to a hotel in a search engine or
destination linked to a tourist route, etc., to inquire about different aspects
of the journey.
The information available will be useful, among other
things, to:
1. Choose
final destination.
2. Compare
and hire the accommodation.
3. Find
restaurants and entertainment venues in the area.
4. See possible
tourist activities in the destination.
Rural tourism is not exempt from these advantages, which are
becoming more and more necessary; On the other hand, we find obstacles when it
comes to materializing the application of the use of new technologies in business
management , that is, for various reasons in rural tourism companies the use of
information technologies has not yet been generalized at the level which is
doing so in the tourism industry in general.
Tools on the Net
The instruments available to the client on the internet to
collect data before embarking on their trip or choosing a certain place are:
1. On the
one hand, the information provided by search engines.
2. On the
other, the web and social networks specialized in tourism and leisure.
The most used tools are those that we will name below:
The website
It is essential that our business has a Web presence that
ensures our visibility on the Internet. The keys are an attractive design
accompanied by a regular generation of attractive content.
These are some of the basic recommendations on issues that a
tourism sector website should gather:
1. Contact :
the telephone number and an email address to be able to reach us in case a
direct deal is necessary.
2. Languages
: the page must be translated into at least English.
3. Ability
to make an online reservation without direct intermediation.
4. Integration
in the Web portal of the distinctive of the Social Networks in which we are
present.
5. Detail
information about the area, making it attractive for the visitor and capturing
their attention.
6. Presentation
of services added to our business, such as guided tours, visits to wineries,
etc.
7. Possibility
of subscribing to a Newsletter that will give us the opportunity to send
renewed information about our services and offers via email.
8. Personalized
map with the location and promotional elements, if we consider it necessary.
The blog
Blogs are highly recommended due to their simplicity and
ability to generate continuous interaction with the user and between customers.
We have to be aware of the difficulty that regular content
creation can entail, so it is appropriate that we identify specialized blogs
and participate in them either generating comments or as writers.
Another option is to integrate the blog within our website .
