Final Entry!

The  Tourism and hospitality business applications class, was all about new technologies in the hospitality and tourism industry and how they facilitate, in accomplishing the total satisfaction for the consumer experience. New technologies such as; GPS systems, Smart phones, Microsoft Surface. Additionally, there is a variety of software and applications, which can be used and downloaded from the internet, which as well, play an important role within this flourishing industry.

Further Photos!

Microsoft Surface

After a long research, Microsoft has finally launched Microsoft Surface - a multi touch and multi user surface computer. This is likely to change the way people use the computers in future in various businesses.

Microsoft Surface is a new platform which has been released by Microsoft which helps bring people together to for new ways of learning and decision making. It has revolutionized the way people collaborate with one another, it also allows people to work together and connect with a 360-degree interface.

This experience comes to life in the new 40 inch Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface that can be used as a table, on the wall, or embedded in other fixtures or furniture.

Blogging!

Posting on  Virag Blog!

This articles brings in the topic of applications as used on phones. There are many different applications being developed these days as a result in growth of demand of new technologies that support or fascilitate a better tourist experience. Many times in recent times, and more and more over, technology is taking over the market where people used to work. For example, with the aid of a podcast which one can simply download from the internet the site seeing around Vienna city, can also be done using such a podcast instead of having to walk around with a guide.

Tourism applications

Tagging
It is a way of categorizing information online, where any piece of content can have multiple tags which will the appear to the user in categories.

Geo-tagging
Process of adding longitude and latitude lines, furthermore, it allows content to be displayed  geographically on a Map.  e.g. Flickr.com  - (It allows users to share, and store photos for example)

AJAX
Stands for: Asynchronous JavaScript & XML and is a development technique for creating interactive web applications.

-it increases usability, speed and the interactivity of the site
e.g. Kayak- 100 airlines best prices combined on one web page, with the use of Ajax to provide greater user experience.


Wiki
Sites which allows the user to add, change or edit the content of a page.

Threats:
-Mistakes
-Offensive content
-Manipulation

Annual Conference - Social Media Success Factors

An survey was done with a sample of 14 destinations. They where asked some questions about web 2.0 and how they though this service is perceived on the market. Within these 14 destinations, 13 of them claimed to be actively participants in social media trafficking, facebooking being the most popular.

What are they doing with social media:

• Direct contact
• Information
• Feedback
• Buzz creation

How to measure success?

1. Define success
2. Define indicators for success
3. Measure and compare success

I-phone Travel Applications (Hard facts)

->100000 Downloads

->350000 Guides

-50000 City Guides

-content integration by DMOs possible

Augmented Reality

• Additional user experience
• Enhancing the current perception of  reality
• Off road travel guide
• GPS globalization
• Directly usable

WEB 2.o

      Web 2.0 is related with web applications that enable users to share information online, as well as Videos and pictures. Before the Web 2.0 came about being there was the Web 1.0. When comparing Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 we can immediately see what huge improvements have been made for users. For example, the Web 2.0 now provides the user with more user-interface as well as more storage and software facilities through their browser.

 While Web 2.0 is making it  easier and faster to upload and share information it has also helped the tourism industry in many ways. One of these would be E-WOM, which refers to how people communicate their experiences with each other on the web, therefore, when we talk about the decision making process to do with the purchasing of a product or service this may be the most influential factor that contributes whether a customer will purchase the service or not. While the customer is going through the decision making process whether or not to buy a service or product he may come across some "E-WOM" which will have an impact on his decision; depending if the word of mouth was positively or negatively related to the service or product .

Smart Phones

Smartphone charcterizes a wireless telephone set with special computer-enabled features. This means that these new generation phones are enabled and facilitate the use of special features.These may include:
-access to wireless e-mail
-access to personal information
-Lan Connectivity
-Remote transfer of data

 

GPS SYSTEMS

GPS stands for Global positioning systems which makes use of a world-wide ratio-navigated system formed from a constellation of 24 satellites and their ground stations. Examples may include: Car navigation, GPS mobile phone applications and its nowadays also a feature that is offered in many advanced devices.

Photosynth

Photosynth is a program where one can upload pictures in order to then work on thm and edit them.

The E- Tourist