Electronic channels for small sized hotel businesses: some insights from the Italian case

New technologies have a major role within the travel industry. New distribution channels and new communication forms have emerged in the tourism sector, where Internet is considered to be a relevant means for both the distribution and the promotion of the product. Moreover, in recent years, the development of online tourism has followed a steady growth and the Internet has become a competitive leverage more and more essential for small and medium sized firms. The aim of the paper is to investigate on the use of the electronic channels, analysing the perceptions of two main player in the distribution of hotels operating in the Italian market. The paper highlights the main aspects of the relationship between hotels and new actors in the electronic distribution of tourism, with a particular focus on the Italian market. Empirically, the paper shows the results of a case analysis process of two main online travel agencies, a specialized vertical actor (Alfa.com) and a generalist horizontal actor (Lastminute.com). The decisions related to the hotel assortment development and their relationships with small-medium hotels in the Italian context, are discussed. The paper ends with some managerial implications for small sized hotel businesses involved in the management of electronic channels.