Socio-economic factors determining the way e-tourism is used in European Union member states

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to test the frequency of the use of e-tourism by consumers/internet users of various European Union member states and to identify the socio-economic variables that determine this frequency. Design/methodology/approach - The secondary data regarding the use of e-tourism services in 28 European Union member states were used for analysis. Relationships between variables and the frequency of the use of e-tourism services by consumers in 28 countries in Europe were analyzed. For each of the 32 benchmarked countries, a representative sample of internet users was surveyed via local online panels. Also CATI approach was used in one country. Findings - The authors of this study identify a statistically significant relationship between the frequency of the use of e-tourism by internet users and their country of origin. Statistically significant relationships between the frequency of using e-tourism and socio-economic variables, such as age, sex, education level, occupation, and professional position, are also identified. Practical implications - The findings of this study can provide tour operators with useful suggestions on how to extend the utility of internet (e-commerce) in order to develop their business, get more customers and improve their profitability. Simultaneously, these results may contribute to enhancing competitiveness of the whole European Union and increasing its gross domestic product. Originality/value - With the worldwide rapid growth of internet (and e-commerce) many benefits can be reach by tourism sector especially in the growing competition. The paper is unique because it shows data collected from almost 25,000 respondents and it presents a comparison of the use of e-tourism among citizens of 28 European Union member states.