ICT Awareness in Small Enterprises In the Indian Tourism Branch

Abstract

The boom of information and communication technology (ICT) in India is a well-known phenomenon with a positive impact on the economy. As tourism industry and small companies are of big importance for India’s economy, this thesis examines the ICT awareness in small travel agents and tour operators, in terms of ICT awareness definition, its level, and the affecting factors. A seven weeks long field study was made in 4 large Indian cities. The awareness was defined in terms of consciousness about ICT benefits and barriers, and technological and strategic issues. The ICT level was found to be relatively high for a developing country but low when considering the opportunities in India. The factors with a positive effect on the ICT awareness level were the national economical and technological development trends, and the positive attitude towards ICT. The negative factors were the lack of education within the companies, bureaucracy, physical infrastructure problems and the cultural and social norms. The level could be raised by acting on business and governmental levels.