Tourism and technology in the global economy: challenges for small island states

Purpose - This paper sets the stage for research on the willingness and readiness of a developing country to fully embrace the changes in tourism that are being facilitated by rapidly changing technological advancements. The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the technological advancements and the debates surrounding technology adoption within the context of Jamaica. Design/methodology/approach - Using Jamaica, a developing country low on internet penetration as the site of investigation, this work suggests that there are lessons to be learned from broadly assessing its context economically, socially and technologically. This specific case is juxtaposed against the theoretical works on diffusion of technology and the digital divide to indicate the way forward for the local tourist industry. Findings - The work shows that technology diffusion and adoption has become an important area of research globally. For countries that are heavily dependent on inbound travel from regions of the world with high technology penetration and a clientele which is increasingly expecting cutting edge technology to be part and parcel of their travel plans, this type of research and application of new technologies to the travel package are critical to survival and growth. Research limitations/implications - The practical application of this paper is that it suggests that Jamaica and other developing countries can learn valuable lessons from the debates and discussions in the literature relating to technology adoption in the tourism context. Originality/value - This paper is original in that it introduces a research concept that is new for the context of Jamaican tourist industry and places the research context within the theoretical framework on the digital divide.