期刊名称：European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation
印刷版ISSN：1647-9254
出版年度：2012
卷号：3
期号：Special Issue
页码：29-44
出版社：Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
摘要：The need for innovation in all sectors and, consequently, in tourism is undeniable: in a scenario of worldwide competition, there’s no option but to get serious about it. One of the most important innovations with revolutionary impact in tourism was the Internet – the ability to use it has completely transformed the business of travel. When considering innovation processes such as the invention of the Internet, one mainly thinks of private entities. However, the Internet came out of public organizations, which leads us to the main goal of our paper: to demonstrate that the state is able to play an important role as an innovation agent, namely, as an innovation agent in tourism. Acting this part, the state has been performing as star artist in e-commerce: it begun with the invention of Internet and has developed with the subsequent need to regulate something new. However, it the permanent quest for innovation. It is at all times a fragile equilibrium, and in e-tourism there is still a long way ahead. Nevertheless, it is indisputable that states still have a main part as innovative agents in tourism, namely in the area of e-commerce
