Travel and tourism activities and trip planning decisions involving the interoperability complexities and interdependencies introduced by intermodal and interurban transportation networks constitute an ample opportunity area for deploying the state-of-the-art mobile Internet technologies. It is becoming increasingly necessary to provide travelers with real-time information to assist them in preplanning or replanning their transport and travel activities or particular trip elements during their trip, while being on the move. Trip planning decisions, either before or during the trip realization constitute a derived demand, pushed by demand for tourism activities. However, they represent the most critical chain of the decision-making process on the grounds that they eventually determine the feasibility and the realization of the whole travel activity. From a different perspective, terminal operators, regional authorities, and other transport and tourism organizations show a vast interest and actively pursue alternative ways of dealing with the requirements of the demand for travel and tourism services. An integrated system providing value added logistical services related to travel and tourism, the World in your H@nds on the Move--WH@M system, has been implemented to support and optimize the trip planning process. A study had three objectives: to discuss the way that intermodality can be supported by such a technological application; to present the architecture, operations, and the solution approach governing the trip planning modules; and to provide a brief demonstration of the relevant trip planning modules of the system.
Abstract