Internet based search also allows consumers to remember and compare information
gathered from many virtual web stores. As a consequence, and according to some, consumers will not need search intermediaries and there will be a des-intermediation whereby TOs role in the search process will disappear. However, in spite of the importance of internet in reducing the search costs, there are still at least two reasons that may justify, at least partially, the existence of intermediaries in the search process. One is that the duplication of traffic of information as discussed above (see figure 2) still persists, and intermediation by a TO still makes sense since an intermediated search market dramatically reduces duplicated traffic and enhances network efficiency. The other is that in internet, the disadvantage of physical limitation is replaced with a difficult problem of locating and processing the relevant information, not because of the lack of such information but because of the very abundance of it. In this case, a tour operator (an intermediary) may still play a role in the filtering of information, so that the searcher/consumer accesses only the relevant information.
4. References
International.
1. Renshaw, MB (1994): ”Consequences of integration in UK tour operating”; Tourism Management.
2. Sheldon, Pauline J. (1986): “The Tour Operator Industry: An Analysis”, Annals of Tourism Research. Vol. 13.
3. Sinclair and Stabler: The economics of tourism; Routledfe, London and New York.
4. The Economist: “Click to fly”, Survey on E-Commerce.
5. The Economist magazine.
6. Tirole, J.: The theory of industrial organisation.
7. Shapiro, C. & Varian, H. Information Rules.
8. Williamson, O. E.: The Economic Institutions of Capitalism.
9. http://www.abhinandanholidays.com/aboutus.html
10. http://revolutionsport/00196402_0.html
11. http://www.tourdom.ru/
12. http://www.unwto.org/index_r.php
13. http://www.orsha.by