Redesigning User Experience: The Role of Design Thinking in Global Digital Tourism Services

Purpose: This paper examines how Design Thinking (DT) supports innovation in digital booking platforms, focusing on Airbnb and Booking.com. The aim is to evaluate how DT-based features such as rating systems, recommendations, and direct host interaction influence user trust, satisfaction, and decision-making. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative survey of 111 active users was conducted using purposive sampling to capture real experiences with both platforms. Respondents assessed usability, transparency, and safety, allowing for an integrated analysis of user perceptions. Findings: The study shows that Booking.com is perceived as more intuitive, transparent, and reliable than Airbnb. Features like rating systems, filters, and loyalty programs strongly enhance satisfaction, while services such as Airbnb Experiences remain underused and poorly communicated. The study is limited to two platforms and self-reported data; future research should broaden the sample, include qualitative insights, and track long-term user behavior. Practical recommendations: Results stress the need for user-centered innovation, clear communication of features, and iterative design to improve customer value and loyalty. Originality/value: The paper offers one of the first empirical analyses of DT in global digital tourism, contributing insights for both scholars and practitioners.