Running head: GUATEMALAN AND CANADIAN USE OF E-COMMERCE FOR TOURISM

E-commerce has simplified transactions between businesses and consumers and made them more efficient. Tourism, due to its global nature, is one of the industries most impacted by e-commerce. As with other information technologies, e-commerce has not been adopted at the same rate in all cultures, and although the reasons for varying adoption rates are complex, studies have shown that cultural factors do influence technology adoption and use. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to describe the use of e-commerce for travel purposes by Guatemalan and Canadian participants from their perspective, and to conduct a cross-cultural comparison between cases. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with four participants, two Guatemalan and two Canadian, who were recruited among the researcher’s extended family members using convenience sampling. Participants varied greatly in their use of e-commerce, specifically in their frequency of use, types of products purchased online, reasons for choosing e-commerce and the way they chose to purchase. Most participants reported trusting websites with personal information such as credit card numbers, but their levels of trust varied based on their familiarity with the brand and the website. Perceptions about travel agencies varied across cultures, with Canadian participants being less likely to use a travel agency and having more negative views about them. Guatemalans travelled in groups more frequently than Canadians, potentially due to a collectivist tendency. Overall, participants chose their purchase method based on convenience and sought to reduce their uncertainty levels. These two factors seemed to override any cultural propensities.