ICTs & Internet Adoption in China's Tourism Industry.

The fast development of information communication technologies (ICT) and the expansion of Internet have affected all industries in many countries. Such technologies have been adopted in tourism industry in Europe and America for more than 30 years, and the trend is likely to continue into the future. China, as a fast-growing developing country in Asia, is gaining increasing importance in the international tourism market for its historical and cultural attractiveness as a destination and, more importantly, as a booming tourism source country with its huge population. This study examines how the ICT and Internet have changed the tourism development in China, how important such changes are, and to where such changes will lead China's tourism industry. This exploratory research is conducted based on information collected from airlines, hotels, tour operators, visitor attractions and the tourism authorities within China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]