Moving toward an Infomediary Competitive Niche at ConVis: A Case Study in Strategy and Implementation of e-Business Technologies in the Tourism Industry

This paper is a case analysis that describes an organization’s entry into the e-business world by determining the best competitive entrance point. Based upon a market analysis of its members using established research instruments in travel and leisure industry studies, a model of member satisfaction and retention was developed and tested using the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau (ConVis) members. The model suggested that ConVis focus on enhancing overall satisfaction with an infomediary positioning in providing benefits and value. The study results show related variables impacting the overall satisfaction and retention of ConVis members including perceived value, benefits, and beliefs regarding tourism in San Diego. Consequently, ConVis developed the iLeads project where they moved leads for potential consumer business directly to hoteliers and members via access on their Website. The result is a highly successful information system development effort that enabled ConVis to make a niche positioning possible using e-business technology.