Infrastructure-Based Modeling in the Development of Electronic Tourism by Structural Equation Modeling Approach (Case Study: Yazd Province)

Tourism is one of the fast-growing economic areas, with a significant amount of income, employment, and national production. Together with the advancement of various industries, information technology has been rapidly expanding in multiple parts of human life. Tourism is also influenced by the influence of information technology, and the subject of electronic tourism is the result of the combination of these two areas. Considering the existence of diverse tourist attractions in Yazd province and also the necessity to use the capacity of cyberspace, in this research, the factors influencing the development of electronic tourism and causal relations among them have been identified. The most critical infrastructural factors identified in this field are then determined, and then a conceptual model of relationships between these factors is developed. Then, using the structural equation modeling approach, the proposed model was tested. The results of the research show that the quality of software has the role of full mediation in the relationship between other structures with the development of electronic tourism. It can be said that success in this area depends on government support, the quality of information systems and infrastructure, but this effect is made possible by the features of the software programmed.


The value of tourism and related activities will be more apparent when we know that its income is equal to that of oil revenues. Today an electronic branch of this industry named electronic tourism, which is the source of potential economic and cultural movements, that cause revolution in the process and transactions. Therefore, the proper development of electronic tourism as one of the most important means of economic growth in today's world can boost many of the infrastructures of each country's economy and play a significant role in increasing the level of gross national product. Due to this technology shifts in tourism, considering the infrastructure that facilitates the development of e-tourism is the necessity. This research studied the information system elements that assumed effects on implementation and improving e-tourism in Yazd province. For this purpose, the survey was done and gathered data analyzed by structural equation modeling.

A survey has been implemented to collect required data for testing conceptual research model. Further to library study, two separate questionnaires were designed in this regard. In the first step by Delphi approach, different infrastructure factors which were extracted from literature study was ranked by nine selected experts in Yazd Province tourism industry. Final elements then exploit in a questionnaire which designed to gather required mass data for testing conceptual model by structural equation modeling. It should be noted that the required sample is exclusively chosen from people with a minimum of 5 years of experience in the tourism industry. By simple random sampling method, 386 people were selected to respond the second questionnaire. After preprocessing gathered data, a covariance-based structural equation modeling method has been used. For this purpose, SPSS software was used for preliminary analysis of the data extracted from the questionnaire and AMOS for validating the conceptual model of the research and measuring of the constructs regression weights.

Discussion and Results: Four independent variables were studied in this research which includes: legal, information systems, quantity, and quality of infrastructure, software. These variables assumed affects e-tourism development as a primary dependent variable. For the conceptual model test, validity and reliability of that calculated based on different approach. For the purpose first explorative factor analysis done and all questions controlled for factor loadings. Then after by AMOS software conceptual model tested by the various good of fitness parameters. Due to an acceptable level for all fitness indexes, model altered and questions with low factor loading removed. Research final result was path coefficients which would be significant to consider as meaningful in the model. The results obtained from the general research model test indicate that the hardware and infrastructure dimensions, information systems and legal-governmental through the intermediary software agent, promote the development of e-tourism. Considering the full mediator role of the software agent's, it's essential evidence that the development of e-tourism relies strongly on software dimension. It is clear, of course, concluded that the software factor has full mediator effects on the model which imply all other activities to strengthen e-tourism development dependent on that. Also, it shall be noticed infrastructure and legislation factors both have high path coefficient with software which imply basically to develop e-tourism infrastructure and legislation would facilitate context to software performance rise upward