The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe

The rapid developments in ICT have revolutionised tourism operations and the way companies and countries lure tourists, resulting in stiff competition in the global tourism industry. ICT has become the ‘umbilical cord’ of tourism as it has assumed a crucial role in the survival and performance of to...

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Main Authors: Tsokota, Theo, von Solms, Rossouw, van Greunen, Darelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AfricaJournals 2019
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Online Access:https://www.ajhtl.com/2019.html
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3667
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author Tsokota, Theo
von Solms, Rossouw
van Greunen, Darelle
author_facet Tsokota, Theo
von Solms, Rossouw
van Greunen, Darelle
author_sort Tsokota, Theo
collection DSpace
description The rapid developments in ICT have revolutionised tourism operations and the way companies and countries lure tourists, resulting in stiff competition in the global tourism industry. ICT has become the ‘umbilical cord’ of tourism as it has assumed a crucial role in the survival and performance of tourism destinations. However, ICT is a double-edged sword as it can be used with considerable effect either in promoting or downgrading tourism destinations. For example, in situations where a tourism destination is receiving negative publicity, ICT has the disadvantage of spreading that adverse information quickly to a global audience. This study is an important contribution to the body of knowledge on the demise of tourism in Zimbabwe in general but specifically focusing on the role of ICTs between 2000 and 2016.This research was conducted through a comprehensive literature review, mainly focusing on multiple peer-reviewed journal articles, books and conference papers from 2000 to 2016, before the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government came to power. The selection of articles was purposive. Only those that provided deep insights and in-depth understanding as well as a proper representation of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector in line with the purpose of the research were selected. The available literature strongly points out that a combination of ICT, especially the internet, government policies deemed retrogressive and economic refugees emigrating from tourist-seeking countries have contributed to the soiling of the image, reputation and identity of Zimbabwe as an attractive tourism destination on a global scale. This has had an adverse effect on the growth of the tourism sector in the country. Thus, ICT can negatively impact tourism, and thus, countries intending to lure visitors to their tourism destinations should avoid policies, events and activities that can result in bad publicity in the international media. On the other hand, there is no denying that if used properly ICT can also help to successfully rebrand a tourism destination. For this reason, it is important for national tourism strategies to encompass and interconnect both physical and virtual tourism promotion methods.
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spelling ir-11408-36672022-06-27T13:49:06Z The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe Tsokota, Theo von Solms, Rossouw van Greunen, Darelle Information and communication technology Zimbabwe Bad publicity Destination The rapid developments in ICT have revolutionised tourism operations and the way companies and countries lure tourists, resulting in stiff competition in the global tourism industry. ICT has become the ‘umbilical cord’ of tourism as it has assumed a crucial role in the survival and performance of tourism destinations. However, ICT is a double-edged sword as it can be used with considerable effect either in promoting or downgrading tourism destinations. For example, in situations where a tourism destination is receiving negative publicity, ICT has the disadvantage of spreading that adverse information quickly to a global audience. This study is an important contribution to the body of knowledge on the demise of tourism in Zimbabwe in general but specifically focusing on the role of ICTs between 2000 and 2016.This research was conducted through a comprehensive literature review, mainly focusing on multiple peer-reviewed journal articles, books and conference papers from 2000 to 2016, before the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government came to power. The selection of articles was purposive. Only those that provided deep insights and in-depth understanding as well as a proper representation of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector in line with the purpose of the research were selected. The available literature strongly points out that a combination of ICT, especially the internet, government policies deemed retrogressive and economic refugees emigrating from tourist-seeking countries have contributed to the soiling of the image, reputation and identity of Zimbabwe as an attractive tourism destination on a global scale. This has had an adverse effect on the growth of the tourism sector in the country. Thus, ICT can negatively impact tourism, and thus, countries intending to lure visitors to their tourism destinations should avoid policies, events and activities that can result in bad publicity in the international media. On the other hand, there is no denying that if used properly ICT can also help to successfully rebrand a tourism destination. For this reason, it is important for national tourism strategies to encompass and interconnect both physical and virtual tourism promotion methods. 2019-06-06T13:04:00Z 2019-06-06T13:04:00Z 2019 Article 2223-814X https://www.ajhtl.com/2019.html http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3667 en African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure;Vol. 8; No. 3 open AfricaJournals
spellingShingle Information and communication technology
Zimbabwe
Bad publicity
Destination
Tsokota, Theo
von Solms, Rossouw
van Greunen, Darelle
The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe
title The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe
title_full The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe
title_fullStr The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe
title_short The reticent effect of ICT on tourism: a case study of Zimbabwe
title_sort reticent effect of ict on tourism: a case study of zimbabwe
topic Information and communication technology
Zimbabwe
Bad publicity
Destination
url https://www.ajhtl.com/2019.html
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/3667
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