Figure from:Opening New Dimensions for E-Tourism

Figure 4 from simple statements such as “Looking for infor- mation”’ to specific ones such as “Kazakhstani visa regulations for Spaniards”’. We argue that the exchange of real-life experiences provides up-to-date information which is more com- plete and more personalized than any available guidebook. This claim is supported by the findings of the study described in Schwabe and Prestipino (2005) which assessed the quality of information available from online travel communities compared to com- mercial guidebooks. With that in mind and inspired by MMORPGs, we introduce reward mechanisms for competent and helpful members of the community sharing their travel experiences. Firstly, to show appreciation for their active participation and, sec- ondly, to tie them to the online platform in order to establish long-term customer relationships. As an example, an e-Tourist might receive a gift for repeat- edly providing informative travelogs. The usefulness of the travelog is assessed by other participants of the community.

Related Figures (5)

sages sent by the agent. As an example, consider Elaine’s attempt to open the door. This triggers a se- quence of messages that, eventually, results in granting or denying access to the building. These messages are symbolized as arrows in Fig. 1. Her action causes a validation check in the multi-agent system and, con- sequently, its outcome is represented in terms of an open or closed door. Besides ensuring the causal integrity, it is important to guarantee that participants adhere to regulations of the environment. In fact, we distinguish two security levels; the societal and the technological level. On the societal level, we provide mechanisms to prevent malevolent behavior of participants. This includes an abuse reporting service, where offenses are collected, analyzed and, if necessary, appropriate sanctions are being imposed. To maintain the functionality of the environment and prevent, for instance, participants from deliberately blocking doors, members of an executive authority will monitor the participants’ behavior and intervene if necessary. On the techno- logical level, agents are authenticated with the system by means of digital certificates. Appropriate user interface design is crucial for sophisticated human-computer interaction, which especially applies to 3D virtual worlds. Such interfaces are designed to emulate the way humans operate and

Fig. 2 The three-layered architecture of 3D Electronic Institutions

i Ce Wns However, according to Nonnecke and Preece (2000), recent reports indicate that lurkers make up over 90% of online groups. Invisibility of participants, as it is possible in most web-based forums, is not an issue in ‘itchy feet’. However, people may still stand around inactively not talking to anybody. In order to lure out these lurkers and encourage active participa- tion in the e-Tourism community, we introduce several counteracting methods. Firstly, a special tutorial area for newcomers and newbies, the technically challenged or the shy, helps to get to know the environment and to establish first social contacts. Secondly, the level of active participation within the community will be monitored and, in case of long-lasting inactivity, special animators are provided by the environment. The task of these animators is to engage passive members in conversations, ask if they need assistance, provide pointers and hints regarding their interests, and so forth. Thirdly, each participant has the possibility to explicitly communicate her particular ‘“‘quest’’ by attaching a visual cue to her avatar. Pragmatically speaking, the concept of ‘‘quest’’ is borrowed from the area of MMORPGs where participants may indicate, say, ‘“Looking for work’’ or ‘Looking for friend’ by means of a textual label hovering above her avatar’s head. In the context of “itchy feet”, this might range Fig. 4 Corresponding floor plan of “‘itchy feet”