Information accuracy assessment framework for Malaysia tourism industry

Abstract

Tourism industry is a rapidly growing service sector and prime contributor to the world economy. Despite the industry’s growth, tourism information accuracy is the current concern in this industry. Many tourism fraud cases in Malaysia, including Umrah packages, membership cards and tour information compliance issues which had cost millions of losses were reported. Further, studies have confirmed that tourism information is overwhelming and many lack accurate information. Therefore, the aim of the study is to address the tourism information accuracy issues by proposing the Information Accuracy Assessment Framework for Malaysia Tourism Industry. With reference to the tourism information accuracy concerns, the following objectives were identified. First, to identify the existing information accuracy practices in leveraging the influencing factors of the tourism information accuracy issues. Secondly, to develop the proposed Information Accuracy Assessment Framework for Malaysia Tourism Industry. Thirdly, to validate the proposed framework. In phase one of the research, semi-structured interviews with fifteen respondents from the tourism industry were conducted to identify the tourism information accuracy practices. The identified tourism information accuracy practices were tourism information gathering, information source, content accuracy and credibility, information accuracy control measures, information procedures, information traceability, and information historical changes. The tourism information accuracy influencing factors were information resources, institutional and information environmental requirements, quality commitments, and information quality. Thus, the Information Accuracy Assessment Framework for Malaysian Tourism Industry was developed. The framework consisted of accuracy as the main factor and the sub factors include tourism institutional and information environment. The framework dimensions were information organizational and business, and information quality, which consisted of accuracy characteristics, accuracy assessments, accuracy assessment processes, and accuracy assessment result interpretations. A holistic approach to the framework involved assessing tourism information using the accuracy and assessment indicators in the assessment stages. The framework assessment process covered twelve assessment indicators in determining the information accuracy ratings and accuracy levels. The information accuracy rate and levels were classified into five levels of information accuracy, whereby level one was the lowest level and level five was the highest level of information accuracy assessment. In phase two, the framework was validated by five tourism experts on the framework’s usability, and the validated framework was refined in terms of assessment effectiveness, assessment clarity, assessment methodology process, assessment checklist, framework terminologies, tourism information definition, information and institution requirements. In summary the framework is useful to tourism information centre as well as tour and travel agencies in assessing and determining information accuracy levels.