A CASE STUDY-BASED FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING THE TECHNICAL QUALITY OF MOBILE TOURISM SERVICES IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

The acceleration of digital transformation in Saudi Arabia, driven by the Vision 2030 initiative, has significantly expanded the use of Mobile Tourism Services Applications (MTSAs). Ensuring their technical quality is essential to enhancing both user satisfaction and service delivery. This study introduces a tailored Technical Quality Model for MTSAs that incorporates usability, performance, security, and satisfaction, while also accounting for the cultural, regulatory, and infrastructural context of Saudi Arabia. Adopting a mixed-methods design, the research integrates quantitative responses from 500 users and 50 developers with qualitative evidence from interviews and document analysis. Statistical findings highlight security as the strongest determinant of user satisfaction (mean = 4.5, SD = 0.7; Pearson r = 0.75). Regression analysis further indicates that security (β = 0.52, p < 0.001) explains 65% of the variance in satisfaction (R² = 0.65). Gender and experience were found as significant moderators, with males and more experienced users reporting higher satisfaction (t = 2.34, p = 0.02; t = 3.45, p = 0.001). It is concluded by recommending enhancements in usability, robust security mechanisms, and gender-responsive design to optimize user experiences. Future research should explore integrating artificial intelligence and blockchain, and validate the proposed model in comparable regional contexts.