Introduction
Since smartphones have become something really important for people's lives, many
businesses in a variety of industries have altered their business models to accommodate the
current digital environment. Companies have created a plethora of applications that allow
consumers the flexibility and convenience of doing various activities and gaining information
whenever they are connected to the internet. The travel and tourism industry is one of those
affected by the changing environment (Aqilah & Qolbi, 2021).
Digitalization and mobile technology have transformed and rebuilt the tourism
industry by enabling consumers to travel in unprecedented numbers and providing immediate
access to global markets. Unlike in the past, when consumers relied on offline agents to plan
and book trips, the development of mobile apps has enabled consumers to create travel
arrangements on their own. An online travel agency is the platform that allows consumers to
do so. An online travel agency (OTA) is a web-based marketplace that allows consumers to
research and book travel products and services such as hotels, flights, cars, tours, cruises,
activities, and more directly with travel suppliers. The leading OTAs include Traveloka and
[Link]. These OTAs provide a wide range of services, such as flights, hotels, trains, car
rentals, attractions and activities, and so on.
According to the Digital 2022 report, the number of Internet users has increased, with
5.32 billion people (or 67% of the population) using mobile devices. In Indonesia, as many as
160.7 million Indonesians (60% of the population) have used a mobile device to search the
Internet for information. Given the increased use of the Internet and mobile devices as a
result of global connectivity, Budd and Vorley (2013) stated that the use of mobile
technology by travel agent firms aims to reach new target markets, reduce distribution costs,
and increase customer satisfaction by providing seamless travel experiences. As a result,
mobile applications have gradually evolved, transforming how travel agencies communicate
with their customers. Mobile applications are now more than ever an effective approach for
travel agency firms, not only to control their customers' experiences but also to improve the
relationship that affects customers' behavior towards the application. From the perspective of
individual travelers, mobile applications that use technology, such as intelligent travel
assistants, can play an important role in a tourist's life cycle (Putra et al., 2022).
The development trajectory of the tourism business is significantly impacted by
modern technology, particularly new internetwork and mobile communication, which
provides travelers with a practical, rapid, and innovative trip experience. Mobile travel
booking service (MTBS) is a new way for people to book their travel, allowing them to do so
while on the go using GPRS, 3G/4G, Wi-Fi, and other popular wireless networks for
travelers. They can use their mobile devices to book hotels, resorts, flights, and other travel-
related goods and services. The main benefit of mobile travel booking over conventional
online travel booking is that customers may make reservations for travel-related goods or
services whenever they want, from wherever they are. Online booking users have increased,
according to the China Online Travel Industry Growth Report (Zhong et al., 2015).
