1、Unit TenText AText B能力分析训练Text APassenger was one of the early users of E-commerce in the electronic markets. The use of Internet made travel industries to gain competitive advantage from the development of all kind of systems.The travel industry is expanding rapidly around the globe. It is not unco
2、mmon to find people in a luxury hotel who have paid twice what others have for the same room. The Internet is an ideal place to plan, explore, and arrange almost any trip. Potential savings are available through special sales and the elimination of travel agents by buying directly from the providers
3、.Virtual travel agencies will offer you almost all the services you will find in a conventional travel agency, ranging from information to reservation and purchasing of tickets for your trips, accommodations, and entertainment. In addition to regular services, you will find services most conventiona
4、l travel agencies do not offer, such as tips provided by people who have experienced certain situations (like a visa problem), electronic travel magazines, fare comparisons, currency conversion, fare tracking (free E-mail alerts on low fares to your favorite destinations), worldwide business and pla
5、ces locator, shopping for travel accessories and books, experts opinions, major international and travel news, driving directions in the United States and several other countries, chat rooms and bulletin boards, and frequent flier deals.The benefits of online services to travelers are enormous. The
6、amount of free information is tremendous and it is accessible anytime from any place. Substantial discounts can be found, especially if you have time and patience.You can take fantasy trips and get the feeling of being there. Soon, the addition of virtual reality will help you to enjoy virtual trips
7、. You do not have to go to the travel agency and you can have lots of fun.Online travel has its limitations. First, many people do not use the Internet. Second, Web sites want to sell, not to provide information. Finally, complex trips require specialized knowledge and arrangements, which must be do
8、ne by a travel agent.Therefore, the need for travel agents as intermediaries is assured, at least in the immediate future. However, as we will show later, intelligent agents may lessen some of these limitations, reducing the reliance on travel agents.Intelligent agents could be involved in buyer-sel
9、ler negotiations as shown in the following scenario:You want to take a vacation in Hawaii. You called a regular travel agent who was too busy; finally, he gave a plan and a price that you do not like. A friend told you to use an intelligent agent. Here is how it works: Step 1. You turn on your PC an
10、d enter your desired destination, dates, available budget, special requirement, and desired entertainment. Step 2. Your computer dispatches an intelligent agent that “shops around”, entering the Internet and communicating electronically with the databases of airlines, hotels, and other vendors. Step 3. Your agent attempts to match your requirements against what is available, negotiating with the vendors agents. These agents may activate other agents to make special arrangements, cooperate with each other, activate multimedia presentations, or make special inquiries.
