Location-based Services as Tool for Developing Tourism in Marginal Regions

Abstract

Tourism is a key business sector for many geographically and economically marginal regions. The main form of tourism in these regions is nature-related tourism, consisting of activities such as hiking, fishing and various types of winter sports. The tourism resorts in marginal regions face the constant challenge of improving their tourist product to retain their position in the market while attempting to conserve the natural environment. In addition to the quest for pure excitement and adventure, the tourists of today expect better accessibility to information, services and nature. In response to this demand, a more widespread use of new information communication technologies, including mobile location-based services (LBS), is proposed in this paper. LBS have already been introduced to the tourism market, but mostly in urban areas. Adverse field conditions, inadequate availability of relevant data sources and high development costs are among the most common obstacles to the adoption of LBS in marginal regions. However, we conclude that LBS have the potential to add significant value to local tourism products and even create new business activities.