Tourists’ use of restaurant webpages: Is the internet a critical marketing tool?

No one questions the power of the internet as a means of information dissemination. But how effective is the medium for restaurant marketing? Are tourists using the tool, and does it influence their purchase behavior? Though there is no shortage of consultants and technology companies touting the importance of the internet and their abilities to harness the medium for their restaurant clients, little empirical research has been performed to determine its effectiveness in tourism settings. This paper reflects the results of an empirical study of tourist restaurant selection in a vacation destination, and notes that while a reasonable percentage of vacationers believe the medium to be a useful research tool, few in fact translate research into patronage; a disconnect that should be of significant interest to restaurateurs considering the investment return of their internet marketing dollars. Implications and suggestions for restaurants catering to vacation travelers are discussed.