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Identification of Six Socio-types of Internet Users and their Impact on the Interactivity of Tourism Websites

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Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2007

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Abstract

Many studies have shown that Internet users do not form a homogenous group in regard to the way in which they appropriate websites. Socio-demographic profiling (age, sex, education, social status) is the usual method for explaining the different website usages of Internet users. This article proposes a new approach — that of socio-types — to understand and manage the different usages. Laboratory observation sessions were conducted about Internet users and their appropriation of the website of a destination management organization. These sessions allowed to identify six socio-types among Internet users of tourism sites: (i) the “Explorer”, (ii) the “Agenda Setter”, (iii) the “Demanding Type”, (iv) the “Party Type”, (v) the “What To Do Type” and (vi) the “Google Addict”. A good knowledge of each of those socio-types will prove very useful for managers in charge of building or redesigning a website. Moreover, that knowledge will make the managers more aware of the need to invest in the interactivity of their websites so that each visitor, whatever his/her socio-type, can find their area of interest.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada

    Francine Charest

  2. Department of Urban and Tourism Studies School of Business, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada

    François Bédard

Authors
  1. Francine Charest
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  2. François Bédard
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business, University of the Aegean, Chios, Greece

    Marianna Sigala

  2. Dipartimento di Informatica e Studi Aziendali, Universitá degli Studi di Trento, Trento, Italy

    Luisa Mich

  3. School of Business, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia

    Jamie Murphy

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag Wien

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Charest, F., Bédard, F. (2007). Identification of Six Socio-types of Internet Users and their Impact on the Interactivity of Tourism Websites. In: Sigala, M., Mich, L., Murphy, J. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2007. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69566-1_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69566-1_30

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-69564-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-69566-1

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