Leveraging Digital Transformation to Enhance Quality Tourism Services in Babylon City, Iraq

Abstract

In the dynamic realm of contemporary tourism, the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq stands at a pivotal juncture. As travelers' expectations and technology continue to advance, the city of Babylon faces the challenge of adapting to this changing landscape to remain a relevant and sought-after destination. This study aims to explore the digital transformation plans while emphasizing emerging quality dimensions and their associated consequences in the historic city of Babylon in Iraq. The digital transformation in Iraq faces challenges, primarily due to a shortage of skilled digital professionals and limited collaboration among government, industry, universities, and research institutes in the tourism sector. This slowdown is particularly concerning since the Iraqi government has identified tourism as a critical industry for the country's 21st-century growth. To investigate these issues, the study employed a quantitative research design, utilizing questionnaires to measure visitor expectations and perceptions of service quality. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires in Babylon, resulting in 315 usable responses. The study's findings underscore the necessity for Babylon City to adapt to the evolving demands of modern travelers who anticipate seamless, personalized, and technologically enhanced experiences. Embracing digital technologies, including mobile apps, social media, and data analytics, is vital for both attracting and retaining visitors. The study outcomes lay the groundwork for developing strategies that foster a genuinely inclusive and accommodating atmosphere for tourists by Investing in digital infrastructure to position Babylon City as a technologically advanced and attractive tourist destination. Furthermore, the quality of tourism services, as well as the digital implementation in service delivery, plays a significant role not only in visitor satisfaction but also in enhancing the city's global reputation in the digital age.

Tourists’ satisfaction with Islamic attributes of destination: a systematic mapping study

“…Literature on assessing generic destination attribute satisfaction highlights various models, such as the performance-only model (SERVPERF), the outcome input model (EQUITY), the congruity model, the service quality model (SERVQUAL) and the holiday satisfaction model (HOLSAT) (Basendwah et al, 2022;ALmasoodi et al, 2023). In contrast to the variety of models used for generic destination attribute satisfaction, no specific model has been established for assessing Islamic attribute satisfaction.…”