Emerging e-commerce development model for Taiwanese travel agencies

The electronic commerce model has made a significant impact on Taiwan's travel industry, as there are multiple distribution channels on the Internet. New technology customers have begun to buy directly from suppliers' websites, resulting in price-sensitive customers who love to shop around and who have now become natural constituents of on-line travel agencies. This study uses multiple methods to collect data from various sources in order to improve study validity by using qualitative and quantitative surveys. A longitudinal survey and a three-stage research design are also adopted. This study explores effective mechanisms for maintaining competitive advantages, and the results provide an in-depth understanding of the impact of e-commerce on travel agency performance. Because the development of e-commerce has had a revolutionary effect on Taiwan's travel industry, an optimal e-commerce business model and e-commerce development strategy for travel agency business management are proposed. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.