Improving village tourism marketing through the implementation of smart digital platforms: An Applied study in Indonesia

Introduction: Village tourism has the potential to enhance the local economy, preserve cultural heritage, and ensure sustainability. However, several tourism villages in Indonesia suffer from a lack of visibility, poor marketing strategies, and Low digital presence. Hence, this study aimed to design an innovative, website-based digital tourism village platform to promote marketing, facilitate visitor access, and empower local communities. Method: Based on the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate), this study adopted a research and development approach that involved validation from tourism and digital specialists. Eight administrators and 48 users participated in the platform testing. Key variables included platform feasibility, which was assessed in terms of functionality, usability, reliability, maintainability, user satisfaction, and data analytics, all of which were described quantitatively alongside the ISO 9126 standards. Result: validation by experts confirmed that the platform was categorised as “very feasible” in terms of effectiveness, usability, and overall maintenance. User responses rated the platform “very good” on all metrics, including ease of use, design, and the relevance of visualisation context. Despite some concerns regarding rural infrastructural limitations, the platform enhanced marketing, facilitated interactions, and streamlined visitor experience customisation. Conclusion: The smart digital platform successfully overcame barriers in marketing village tourism by providing culturally relevant, engaging, and easy-to-use features. It enhances local brand equity, expands market reach, and fosters sustainable tourism. For other uses, there is a need to constantly tailor infrastructure, the level of digitisation, and socio-economic conditions. This aids in the holistic development of tourism by advancing technology-based community self-reliance.