E-Commerce and Small Tourism Businesses in Developing Countries: Drivers versus Boundaries of Adoption

Abstract

The uptake and adoption of e-commerce by small and medium-sized enterprises is still relatively low and slow. Whilst travel agents are typically classified as small and medium tourism enterprises, there has been a persistent threat of disintermediation in the global travel and tourism market particularly in developing countries. Approximately 59% of travel agents in Egypt were found to be operating without even a website. This study aims to identify the drivers motivating travel agents to adopt e-commerce and to discover the boundaries inhibiting agents in adopting technology. Drivers and boundaries perceived by adopters of high level e-commerce are examined. A stratified sample of category A travel agents in Egypt has been surveyed and results show that drivers strongly influencing adoption decision are suppliers' pressures and competitors' pressures. Aspects of boundaries factors found include resources limitations, internal and external business environments, and adopted-technology attributes are affecting the adoption of e-commerce amongst travel agents.