Understanding the Effects of Reservation Systems and Online Transaction Capacity on the Competitiveness of Travel Agencies

Abstract The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of travel agencies' reservation systems and online transaction capacities on their competitiveness. With the developments in technology and the integration of these developments in all business areas, travel agencies have also had to benefit from information and communication technologies. In the research, the primary data were used, and the data were collected by the questionnaire method. The convenience sampling method was used, and data were collected from a total of 566 travel agency managers in Istanbul. According to the results of the research, reservation systems and online transactions capacities of travel agencies affect their competitiveness. Reservation systems and online transactions capacities of travel agencies affect their competitiveness in specific issues such as cost, service quality and market share. Although appropriate and enlightening results were obtained regarding travel agencies technological capacity and competitiveness, research was carried out on the perceptions and evaluations of the managers in this study. In this context, in future studies, studies can be conducted on the relationships between measurable quantitative variables such as the online transactions of travel agencies and the capacity and transaction volume of reservation systems and competition structures. The study reveals that the traditional office travel agencies should be more successful than their competitors in terms of reservation systems and online transaction capacities to gain affordable cost, quality service and more market share.