Virtual communities as environment builders for marketing strategies: locus for information and exchange of real experiences

Abstract

This research aimed at investigating the potentiality of the utilization of virtual communities as a source of information for marketing strategies in the tourism sector. A qualitative research with on-line focus groups was utilized. The results showed that people exchange real experiences and that this spontaneous collaboration has positive effects on acquisition of tourist products and services, even though information is passed on without the objective of negotiating goods or services, but only as a voluntary contribution between inter-agents in virtual communities.

Virtual communities; marketing; internet; tourism