Internet as a “point of synergy” between communication and distribution: hypothesis of model applied to tourism

The wide diffusion of new technologies in communication and business has changed how consumer and product/store knowledge has to be managed and represented digitally. This issue has an important influence in many fields of activity, especially that of tourism, one of the most successful areas on the Web. The research conceptualizes strategies and operational marketing policies from an original standpoint, for the purpose of reconstructing and comprehending the dynamics of "integrated" marketing when examining potential interaction between communication and distribution in tourism. Starting from a brief analysis of the literature, the purpose of our research is to devise an exploratory model of integration involving the main marketing mix levers and to recommend the Internet as a "point of synergy" in the "promo-distribution" process of tourism. The research tests the model proposed, i.e. a specific case study of the Bravofly group, which can be considered a core contribution in terms of practical implications for corporations.