The Bournemouth University eTourism Lab explores cutting edge information and communication technologies, alongside e-based strategic management and marketing for the tourism and hospitality industries. The eTourism Lab resides within the International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research (ICTHR) in the School of Tourism at Bournemouth University. The School has a long tradition of generating research output in the information technology and information systems field and the formation of the Lab demonstrates the university’s commitment to this field.

The eTourism Lab offers global excellence in the field of eTourism in the widest possible sense which includes eTravel, eTransport, eHospitality and eCatering/Food. In addition it researches how social media is becoming critical for organisations to communicate effectively and compete globally. Latest research themes include online reputation and managing brands online; real time business management and marketing social media engagement, co-creation and interaction; augmented reality and gamification. Led by world expert Professor Dimitrios Buhalis who is also currently the President of the International Federation of Information Technology for Travel and Tourism (IFITT) the Lab is emerging as a research centre of global excellence.

Academic members include Dr Philip Alford, Dr Soo Jun, Dr Miguel Moital, Dr Christos Gatzidis, Dr Janet Dickinson, Dr. Feifei Xu, Dr. Alessandro Inversini and  Dr. Rodolfo Baggio (Visiting Professor). Researchers include John Fotis, Nicolas Gregori, Barbara Neuhofer, Andrew Spencer, Ivana Rihova, Soultana Symeonidou, Zornitza Yovcheva, Georgina Sekadakis, Ramona Wagner, Kristin Scheibel, MeiKun Loi, Jessika Weber, Marie-Kristin Foerste and Liz Bouten.

The Lab engages with multiple stakeholders and also enables the School to be recognised as one of the key research organisations in this field.  A number of projects on eTourism Marketing, Social Media and eConsumer Behaviour are currently underway. The eTL reflects increasing global interest from bodies such as the World Tourism Organisation, the World Travel and Tourism Council and the European Commission in the wide range of implications of ICTs. The eTL aims to provide research results, which will facilitate both policy making at the macro level as well as strategic tools for optimising competitiveness and maximising profitability at the micro level. The eTL will collaborate globally in developing this pioneering vision and strategy.