Consumers’ acceptance of information and communications technology in tourism: A review

Abstract

The impact of information and communications technology (ICT) in tourism (e-tourism) has altered the ways tourism services are accessed and consumed. Ubiquitous and highly innovative ICTs provide different channels for consumers to use tourism services; thus, studies on e-tourism are numerous and fragmented. Different factors account for how consumers embrace these channels. The purpose of this study is to review studies on consumers’ acceptance or adoption of e-tourism in order to group the studies, synthesize the theories, models and frameworks used and identify the antecedents influencing consumers’ e-tourism acceptance and usage. A total of 71 studies from 2005 to 2016 (inclusive) from both tourism-based and non-tourism-based journals were selected, synthesized, and included. Based on their contexts, similarity and relevance, the 71 studies were segregated into three distinct groups. This study found that research among the groups is uneven. Implications and research directions are suggested.