Governments and private operators should make greater use of the Internet to promote Asia-Pacific tourism, the United Nations said on March 13, as the industry gathered for its first regional e-tourism conference.
The Internet could be used to target tourists directly, rather than depending on tour operators, Arlette Verploegh, of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), told AFP.
"Implementing information and communication technologies (ICT) in the tourism sector can greatly promote tourism and contribute to growth and empowerment in the region's tourism sector," Verploegh said from Kota Kinabalu, in Malaysia's Sabah State, where United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and Malaysian tourism authorities hosted the two-day conference, which ended on March 14.
She said use of the Internet in tourism was currently limited to hotel websites and government tourism boards, which advertised attractions and services.
"It can be actually made to be more efficient, where (government and private operators) can better manage their operations by e-branding and e-marketing," Verploegh said.
"In this was they will not always be depending on a middleman. They can directly target their customers and decide on where, how, and what they should promote," she said. Verploegh said countries, which had practised e-tourism had seen a boost in revenues from the sector.
About 200 delegates representing tourism ministries, tour operators, transport companies and other industry members attended the conference.