Pacific countries have been called to prioritize information technology, internet services and infrastructure to better support tourism and private sector e-commerce needs.
This has been highlighted by the South Pacific Tourism Organization as the industry moves rapidly from offline to online services.
Chief Executive Chris Cocker says the internet has revolutionized global tourism marketing and product distribution.
However, the Pacific tourism industry has failed in many aspects to keep pace with the level of technological change.
Research indicates that over eighty percent of leisure travel is now planned on the internet – as more than one-third of it is done on mobile devices.
Research also indicates that in 2012, fifty-four percent of holiday makers globally booked their travel via the internet and twenty-four percent via travel agents.
