Perception of Tour and Travel Operators towards eCommerce in Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is considered both means as well as the end for development and progress of the country. With the major proportion of the economy dominated by the service sector, ICT has a major role to play. It focuses more on Communication technologies like cell phones, the Internet, Computers, wireless networks etc. Internet and E-Commerce are the products of ICT. The introduction of these technologies has refashioned our lives as well as our businesses. The Internet refers to an optical network which links various organizations like hospitals, industries, universities to one another in a virtual era and makes use of various protocols like TCP/IP. However Vich-i-Martorell, (2004), stated that the Internet is not just the network of computers that share information between people and companies through computers, these people and companies have needs which can be met via the Internet and hence becoming a real market. The main objective behind the development of Internet was that for interaction purpose various independent networks would be connected. The revolution brought by the Internet gives birth to various opportunities and challenges. One of the opportunities benefiting the business operations and stakeholders is E-Commerce or Electronic Commerce. It`s a web-based system involving a club of activities where purchase and sale of goods, services, and information take place electronically i.e. over the internet. It`s an extension of E-Business that covers electronic messaging and information management of both inter and intra organisations (Chesher and Kaura, 2013). The Internet is the starting point for exploring E-Commerce and World Wide Web is global network for exchanging information using common software standards. Various forms of E-Commerce are accordingly used by individuals and business personnel like B2C, C2C, B2G, G2G etc. to perform various tasks. The benefits of Internet and E-Commerce were not just confined to the developed countries, its influence can be seen ...