E-Commerce at Ruka-Kuusamo Tourism Companies – Electronic Hospitality in Customer Service

Electronic commerce (e-commerce) creates constantly new possibilities forthe tourism industry. Marketing, sales and distribution channels are evolvingand changing. There will be new practices beside traditional procedures. Thechannels of interaction are increasing. From the consumer’s point of view theaccessibility to tourism destination is undefined in terms of location and time.The importance of e-commerce is high for the whole Finnish tourism industry. One has to grab on its rushing and high speed development and put it touse in companies. In this study e-commerce is tackled by looking into thechanges it brings along as well to the challenges of development it brings tothe companies in the tourism business. In this study the subject is approached through sales in which the interaction between a tourism companyand customer is included. The research informants for this study are themembers of Ruka-Kuusamo Tourist Association.The main research question was: What are the volume and the form of ecommerce at the companies in Ruka-Kuusamo tourism region? The volumewas measured by the number of companies involved in e-commerce. Whenthe form was in focus, the means of e-commerce and its steps of progresswere looked into. Subquestions surveyed the roles of customer service andinteraction in both good and poor e-commerce.The research material was gathered with an e-questionnaire and telephoneinterviews. The theory of the study was built as a model in which were combined several theoretical contexts. The volume and forms of e-commercewere recognized from the data. Elements of good and poor customer servicewere also recognized. Companies have individual differences in visions, inpractices and in needs of development. Involving the consumer intensively indialog improves accessibility and publicity. E-commerce creates an easychannel for this kind of interaction, also from the consumer’s point of view.Key Word(s) tourism industry, Internet, electronic commerce, customer service, interaction, hospitality