E-tourism Development in Small and Medium-sized Tourism Firms in Bulgaria

The penetration of the internet and other e-applications in the touristic sector and related industries (transport, hotels, restaurants, etc.) led to the radical changes in their structures and ways of operation. The so called e-tourism appeared which reflected the digitalization of all processes in the sector on global, local and regional levels. The degree of e-tourism development, however, is different for different countries and regions. Most researches until now were made in the developed countries and for large touristic organizations. There are not enough data about the e-tourism development in the South European countries, including Bulgaria. As the touristic sector is of great importance for the Bulgarian economy, the present research aims at reveal the e-tourism development and its impact on small and medium size touristic organisations (SMTO) in Bulgaria (tour operators, touristic agencies, hotels, travel agencies, etc.). The research seeks to answers the questions, related to the degree of the ICT penetration among these organisations; level of use and quality of their internet sites; degree of online collaboration; factors, that stimulate or impede the more intensive inclusion in e-business as a means for higher competitiveness. The research is based on data obtained through qualitative and quantitative methods (inter-views and standardized questionnaires among SMTO). The basic assumptions are that the online touristic market in Bulgaria is still on its initial stages, but it contains a significant potential for development. The acceleration of e-tourism, however, will require better cooperation among SMTO, as well as between them and national representative touristic associations. No less significant are the government initiatives to increase the internet access for the population, to augment the digital literacy, and thus to expand the opportunities for more active participation in e-tourism.