Is TECHNOLOGY enough for catching tourists? Marco Cocciarini - Eo Itur - Parma - Italy

Technology... Tourists use the Net looking for informations about destinations, user-generated-contents and more Online travel sales are growing just like the confidence of users with the Web The number of smartphone and tablet users is growing very fast also on aged-people tourist target

...and its problems Comments about hotels can be easily manipulated by their owners or web marketing companies. Lot of websites give misleading informations to the users about hidden costs and risks, especially on customer assistance during the trip. Experienced travellers would share their travel ideas with someone (probably specialized travel agent) to choose the best travel solution for them.

Case study “Culture in Blue” September 2009: Promoters would set a Bluetooth antenna near a selection of cultural heritages in Val Camonica territory. This technology will share with mobile phones text and video descriptions about them. Now: The financing board decide to hold the project because tourists still not have the technology to appreciate this information service. What about QRCode over our monuments?

Virtual and phisical tourism experience Can virtual travel experience be really compared with the phisical one? Do you imagine a World where people travel exclusively sitting at home facing a personal computer? Emotional tourism experience is growing very fast, is it an answer for the question above? You can find travel gift boxes everywhere, can’t be an idea to sell “Techtour” project packages?

Case study “Agrifeudi” To live your own travel experience you must merge yourself with the soul and the spirit of people who live the territory you are visiting Interactive tales, food&wine creative workshop, experience local traditions by yourself The “Rootist”: traveller looking for his origin - think about Roman and Byzantine routes on “Techtour” project?

How to sell directly to customers Augmented reality will increase tourist’s interest on the selected sites but they must find a support service onsite Techtour must be included in public and private promotional campaigns Pay attention on web and social marketing initiatives!

How to sell through travel agents Cultural-heritages-oriented tourists are traditionally interested on buy travel services through a travel agent because of the seat-in-coach tour packages that saves money and gives high standard quality service To sell innovative travel packages we need to merge single operators in a “web wholesaler”. There are too much info on the Net, travellers need a guide!

The “web wholesaler” Search engine based on scientific research on travellers needs who help them to choose the best suppliers. This service help tourists to create their own holiday package. It need: cooperation between local travel suppliers, a scientific study on travellers needs connected with the potential of the territory involved. It offer: personalization of the travel experience, it seems very high profitability

AIC Forum for tourism development Project title: Innovative skills and competences for entrepreneurs in order to promote a new sustainable tourism in the Adriatic and Ionian Area Financing programme: Adriatic and Ionian Initiative - Regional Cooperation Programme - call for proposal 2012 Total budget: € Duration: 01/02/ /07/2013 Partners: Uniadrion, Forum delle città dell’Adriatico e dello Ionio, Healty Croatia, Link Mostar, Camera dell’Economia del Montenegro, Camera di Commercio ed Industria della Serbia, Albanian Tourism Association, The Association of Tourist and Shipping Agents Thesprotia (Greece)

AIC Forum use the “web wholesaler” Approved project to develop a web community between local travel suppliers and public istitutions managed by a licensed tour operator Publish their services on “web wholesaler” on a specialized website, training for local operators and data entry Support B2B meetings and collaborations with international tourism operators interested on marketing and facilitate the matching between supply and demand

Case study “Globe Inside” International marketplace for travel services in more than 80 countries divided in 25 themes. Marketplace dedicated to local organizers (dmc, incoming travel agents, tour operator) and mobility companies (airlines, car rentals) Support for sales distribution of travel services in Europe, North America and BRICS markets In future also for TechTour operators?

More info: Marco Cocciarini