The diffusion and impacts of information and communication technology on tourism in the Western Cape, South Africa

Two features of the globalising economy are its technological dynamism and its increasing service orientation. International tourism is an important element of the “new economy” of globalisation, as are new information and communication technologies. The relations between these two central elements of the reconfiguring world system have been under-theorised. Based on extensive primary fieldwork in Western Cape Province, South Africa, this paper explores the impact of new information and communication technologies on tourism development. It finds that, while these new technologies are extensively used in marketing and booking, in particular, foreign-owned websites have established a dominant command and control function, thereby replicating previous patterns of economic extraversion.