The usage of online tourist information sources in tourist information search: an exploratory study

Tourist information search is a complex issue. This study contributes to the understanding of tourist information sources by comparing three online sources, that is, non-commercial travel blogs, Wikipedia and Yahoo! Knowledge+. A common denominator of a popular tourist information source is the presence of credible travel-oriented information, preferably in the form of personal experience or, if not so, carefully edited information. Entertainment and social networking elements can further enhance the information sources. If the destination is expensive and friends and relatives are not familiar with it, sources with strong networking element such as travel blog or edited information such as Wikipedia will be plus points. Online and non-online sources will co-exist and leisure tourists will continue to use a mixture of both to suit their needs in the foreseeable future.