the rise of online travel is taking place at a time when the distribution function in tourism is changing in many other ways, through vertical, integration direct marketing, relationship marketing, and call centres, for example.
it is growing rapidly and will undoubtedly develop and change greatly in the future. it has provided an opportunity for non-tourism organization such as Microsoft in the mid 1990's to enter the tourism market, and in doing so, to create competition for tradiyional hight street travel agents.
the phenomenon discussed in this case study is a classic example of teachnological causing major change in the tourism industry