THE ROLE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ADVANCING SMART VILLAGES: A RURAL TOURISM CASE STUDY

Abstract

Recent studies highlight the need for a deeper understanding of the ways in which information systems, local government policy and community involvement affect the development of rural tourism. By using Structural Equation Modelling and Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), the current study aims to analyze the role of information systems, local government policy and local community engagement in rural tourism development. Using data from 69 participants in Watesjaya village, Bogor regency, the study analyzes multiple relationships among latent constructs. The data, encompassing variables such as system quality, information quality, local government policy, local community engagement, destination branding, and rural tourism development, undergoes meticulous reliability and validity assessments. Results from the SEM-PLS analysis unveil significant relationships and insights. Local community engagement emerges as a pivotal factor, positively influencing tourist satisfaction (0.499) and moderately affecting destination branding (0.239). However, local government policy exhibits a less pronounced positive impact on tourist satisfaction (0.069847) and a notable negative influence on destination branding (-0.300460), underscoring the need for policy realignment. Information quality paradoxically influences tourist satisfaction negatively (-0.185) and destination branding (-0.158), highlighting areas for strategic improvement. Meanwhile, information system quality positively affects tourist satisfaction (0.055) and significantly contributes to rural tourism development (0.783). This study provides a better understanding of stakeholders about rural tourism development by focusing on information system quality, information quality, local government policies, and local community engagement The study indicates that information system quality and local community engagement can be valuable indicators for boosting rural tourism development and improving tourist satisfaction.