Manuscript Number : GISRRJ258320
Digital Platforms and Rural Tourism Transformation : A Case Study of E-Tourism Innovation in Underserved Regions
Authors(3) :-Ifeoluwa Oreofe Adekuajo, Bisayo Oluwatosin Otokiti, Friday Okpeke The proliferation of digital platforms such as Google Travel, Airbnb, and TripAdvisor is reshaping the landscape of rural tourism, offering unprecedented opportunities for economic development in underserved regions. This study investigates how these platforms are transforming rural economies by enabling local communities to engage with global tourism markets, increase visibility, and diversify income sources. Through a case study approach, we examine selected rural areas where digital tourism tools have been adopted to varying degrees, assessing their impact on local businesses, employment generation, and community empowerment. Our findings reveal that digital platforms serve as critical enablers for rural tourism by reducing information asymmetries, facilitating peer-to-peer marketing, and enabling small-scale service providers to compete in the broader tourism ecosystem. These platforms not only improve accessibility and traveler confidence through user reviews and integrated services but also help local stakeholders develop data-driven strategies to meet tourist expectations. However, disparities in digital literacy, connectivity, and infrastructure limit the benefits to only those communities equipped to leverage such technologies, highlighting a growing divide between connected and unconnected regions. The study provides a comprehensive roadmap for national and local governments to foster inclusive tourism development through strategic investments in digital infrastructure, capacity-building programs, and regulatory frameworks that support community-based tourism. Key policy recommendations include expanding broadband access, offering digital literacy training tailored to rural entrepreneurs, and creating public-private partnerships to promote sustainable digital tourism models. By situating digital tourism within broader agendas of inclusive economic development and digital equity, this research underscores the potential for e-tourism innovations to reduce rural-urban disparities and foster resilient local economies. Ensuring that rural communities can effectively participate in the digital tourism economy requires a coordinated, equity-driven approach that balances technological advancement with community empowerment.
Ifeoluwa Oreofe Adekuajo Digital Platforms, Rural Tourism, E-Tourism, Inclusive Economic Development, Digital Equity, Google Travel, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, Underserved Regions, Tourism Innovation, Digital Infrastructure, Rural Economies. Publication Details Published in : Volume 8 | Issue 3 | May-June 2025 Article Preview
Ministry of Art Culture and Tourism, Ekiti, Nigeria
Bisayo Oluwatosin Otokiti
Regent College. London, UK
Friday Okpeke
Independent Researcher, UK
Date of Publication : 2025-05-05
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Page(s) : 25-60
Manuscript Number : GISRRJ258320
Publisher : Technoscience Academy
URL : https://gisrrj.com/GISRRJ258320