Mapping Tourists’ Information Literacy through the Digital Tourism Services

The natural wonders, historical heritage, and culture of Indonesia are extraordinary. Indonesia is a world tourist paradise that attracts tourists from various countries every year. However, the country's cultural and natural attractions are not the only factors that spur the tourism sector to attract and receive tourists. Information literacy skills possessed by tourism industry players are also part of an important component that supports positive tourist experiences. A person's skills in accessing, assessing, processing and utilizing information effectively and efficiently are called information literacy skills (Husna & Jumino, 2022; Riady et al., 2022). The rapid development of technology today encourages all tourism and creative economy actors to be more innovative. One effective approach is to promote Indonesia through the advancement of digital literacy. The development of digital literacy serves as a crucial bridge between the digital realm and the tourism industry. In the long term, digital literacy plays an important role in enhancing the quality of tourism and fostering growth in Indonesia's creative economy. Beyond increasing the influx of international visitors, this initiative is anticipated to generate employment opportunities for creative industry professionals in areas surrounding tourist destinations. Information literacy skills are vital in the digital era, where the internet plays a key role in accessing information. Tourist information literacy is important because it provides correct and relevant information to tourists regarding tourist attractions, facilities and services available (Putra et al., 2021). This aims to meet the information needs of tourists and increase the convenience for them in visiting tourist areas (Putra et al., 2021). The use of a good website and relevant and accurate information is guaranteed to help tourists in choosing a tourist destination that suits their desires and abilities (Putra et al., 2021). In the digital era, tourists increasingly use online platforms to plan trips, read reviews, and share experiences. Assessing tourists' understanding of Indonesia's tourism services is therefore essential. According to Central Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Indonesia domestic tourists made 433.57 million trips in the first half of 2023, a 12.57% increase from 385.16 million trips in the same period the previous year. The presence of technology plays an important role in facilitating the lives of Indonesian people in various ways, including in the field of tourism. With 70% of searches and sharing done through digital devices, seeing the phenomenon of changes in tourist behavior. “Technology has proven to be able to influence and shape the way people carry out tourism activities, from planning trips, traveling to returning from the trip,” said Deputy for Strategic Management of the Ministry of Tourism, Franciscus Xaverius Tegou, at the Technology and Tourism Focus Group Discussion (FGD) held at the Morishi Hotel, Jakarta on Friday (April 5, 2019). Literacy is a social phenomenon that involves special skills in communicating or receiving information through writing. More than just reading and writing skills, literacy also involves participation in critical thinking skills to understand various aspects (Damayantie, 2015). Literacy is a person's ability to use potential and skills in processing and understanding information when doing so (Oktariani & Ekadiansyah, 2020). Understanding literacy is an important ability to understand and use basic principles and standard procedures in various fields, one of which is tourism. Tourism literacy is a concept that includes reading and writing activities about tourism, and has a broad meaning that covers various aspects of tourism. For example, the Bahagia Mendawai Library, Pontianak, has developed tourism literacy as a non state actor that has various tourism activities accompanied by literacy activities (Zhan, 2023). The tourism sector is also an important part of society and can influence economic growth, such as in Indonesia which has quite potential for halal tourism (Ma’Rifah et al., 2020). The existence of tourism literacy skills can also be supported by information literacy. Information literacy skills include a series of skills and expertise needed to search for information that meets task requirements. This involves the ability to search, access, interpret, analyze, manage, create, communicate, store and share information efficiently according to existing needs (CILIP: The Library and Information Association, 2018).Information literacy brings benefits in meeting individuals' personal, professional and social information needs. In the era of globalization of information, information literacy skills are very important. Through information literacy, a person can search, access, interpret, analyze, manage, create, communicate, store and share information more efficiently and effectively (Wibowo, 2018). Subarjo (2017) emphasizes that information literacy has the potential to simplify searching for information quickly and easily, as well as providing assistance in selecting and identifying the truth of information, especially in the context of current information developments. Information literacy skills relating to tourism services tourists are very important. Suwena & Widyatmaja (2017) underlines that one way humans fulfill their life needs is through travel and tourist mobility which involves various experiences such as enlightenment, physical and mental refreshment, and self-achievement. Tourists have special characteristics, such as traveling for more than 24 hours, moving temporarily, and not looking for a living in the place or country they visit. If one does not meet one of these three criteria, a person is not considered a tourist (Suwena & Widyatmaja, 2017). In the implementation of information literacy for tourists, there are several examples of models that can be adapted and used. The information literacy model is a method used to develop the ability to access, process and assess information. This information literacy model aims to improve individuals' abilities in collecting, analyzing and using appropriate and relevant information. One of the popular information literacy models is the Big Six Literacy Model (Qomariyah et al., 2023). The six steps in the Big 6™ model include: task definition, information search strategy, information location and access, information use, synthesis, and evaluation (Hastuti, 2019). Tourism is a journey that aims to find momentary happiness. This happiness can come from natural beauty, unique culture, culinary delights, fauna and other elements (Muharto, 2020). In various sectors, including the tourism industry, it is important to provide optimal services to tourists to ensure the maintenance of service quality levels. Basically, excellent service, or excellent service, refers to service that meets quality standards in accordance with customer expectations and satisfaction. In this context, there are two main elements that are interrelated, namely service and quality (Nurlia, 2018). Tourism services are services provided to tourists in order to improve the quality and comfort of tourism. Tourism services can take the form of information, facilities and services provided by tourism institutions such as the Department of Tourism and Culture (Akbar & Oktariyanda, 2023; Ichsan & Setiadi, 2022; Yustikasari & Meirinawati, 2023). Tourism services are needed to increase tourist interest and return tourists to tourist locations (Akbar & Oktariyanda, 2023). Quality tourism services are built upon 14 key principles that ensure effective, customer centered, and trustworthy service delivery. These principles include simplicity, emphasizing straightforward and accessible procedures, and reliability, which ensures consistent performance while fostering mutual trust. Responsiveness highlights timely service delivery and proactive communication in addressing customer needs, while proficiency requires service personnel to have the skills and knowledge necessary for excellent service. The principle of accessibility focuses on enabling customers to easily communicate with service providers and access facilities with convenience. Friendliness promotes patience, attentiveness, and respectful interactions, while transparency ensures customers can obtain all relevant information, including procedures, costs, and timelines, without barriers. Effective communication further enhances the customer experience by delivering information clearly and in a way that is easily understood. Credibility is critical, emphasizing trustworthiness, honesty, and efforts to maintain customer loyalty. Clarity and certainty are equally important, providing clear guidance on service procedures, costs, and timelines to ensure customer confidence. The principle of security ensures customers feel safe and free from risks or doubts when using services. Additionally, tangible evidence reflects the quality of service through professional staff, well maintained facilities, and appropriate tools. Efficiency streamlines service requirements to focus directly on achieving goals, while fair costs balance the value of services with customers’ ability to pay. These 14 principles collectively form the foundation for delivering high-quality, sustainable tourism services that meet and exceed customer expectations (Putra, 2019; Sellang et al., 2019). Assessing the information literacy skills of tourists is essential for enhancing the quality of tourism services, ensuring their effective and satisfactory delivery. This assessment examines key variables associated with information literacy and tourism services. The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the level of information literacy skills possessed by tourists. The anticipated findings are expected to provide valuable insights for improving the quality of tourism information technology services, benefiting various stakeholders within the tourism industry, including government agencies, businesses, and tourism organizations. Furthermore, this research seeks to enhance understanding of tourist preferences and information needs, foster innovation in information service delivery and digital technology, and promote sustainable tourism management by increasing awareness of the ecological, social, and economic impacts of tourism activities

This research employed a descriptive quantitative approach and applies a purposive sampling technique, which is explained as a deliberate selection of samples based on certain criteria (Irawati, 2019). Data collection through primary and secondary data collection. Primary data through field observation and data collection methods through questionnaire distribution. While secondary data through literature studies on information from previous research, journals, books, and websites that are relevant to the research topic. Sampling was aimed at 50 respondents. Data analysis techniques using Likert scale weighting assessment and Important Performance Analysis. The likert scale is used as an instrument to evaluate the attitudes, views or perceptions of individuals or groups towards a particular social phenomenon. In the research context, this social phenomenon has been described in detail by researchers and recognized as a research variable (Sugiyono, 2020). In this study, a Likert scale is used to measure the variables, with each variable being described through specific indicators. These indicators provide the basis for developing instrument items, which can be presented as either statements or questions. The scale employed in this research consists of five levels of agreement: strongly disagree, disagree, quite agree, agree, and strongly agree. The presentation of the results was based on the responses provided by the respondents. Descriptive analysis aimed to offer an overview or description of the research object using data from a population sample. This process involved organizing research data into tables or summaries that were easy to understand and interpret. Descriptive analysis was used to provide information on the characteristics of the main research variables, as well as the demographic data of respondents, without conducting further analysis or drawing generalizable conclusions.The IPA concept was developed to translate customer desires and measure them in relation to what service providers must do to deliver quality service results. Figure 1. Four Quadrants of IPA Source: Adapted from (R. I. Akbar et al., 2022) In Importance Performance Analysis what is analyzed is the level of importance of a factor in the eyes of the customer with the performance of that factor from the service provider. In this way, service providers will be more focused in implementing their service strategies, in accordance with customer priority interests (Akbar et al., 2022). This approach involves respondents' assessment of the level of importance and performance of an organization. The average value of both aspects is then analyzed in a critical performance analysis framework, where the x-axis reflects perceptions, while the y-axis reflects expectations. The results of the analysis produced will be depicted in each quadrant group consisting of Quadrant I indicating high priority, Quadrant II indicating maintenance of achievement, Quadrant III indicating low priority, Quadrant IV indicating irrelevant.

Through mapping of the results of the questionnaire calculation, the perception value (x) and expectation (y) are obtained, the matrix is formed from four quadrants. Each quadrant shows the priority scale for each parameter related to improving or maintaining performance in tourist information literacy skills related to tourism services. The distribution data of perceptions and expectations obtained are as follows. Table 1. Research variables and attributes Score No. Variable Valuation Attributes Perception Expectation Literacy Skills Assessment Descriptors Assessment Results 1. Information Literacy Skills 1. Task definition 2. Information Search Strategy 3. Location and access 4.00 3.30 4.50 5.00 4.50 5.00 -1,00 -1,20 -0,50 There is a need for increased innovation in the form of service information to improve and maintain the achievement of digital information literacy skills provided to tourists. The importance of improving the ease of digital tourism service information strategies needed by tourists. Tourists have been able to determine in searching for information priorities digitally, namely by searching for information from various sources and accessing information at certain locations. 4. Use of Information 4.00 4.60 -0,60 Tourists can engage in the process of reading, viewing, touching and listening to information found digitally to assess suitability and then extract relevant information. 5. Synthesis 3.20 4.30 -1,10 Tourists are quite capable of organizing, communicating, and presenting the results of their information searches digitally. 6. Evaluation 3.50 5.00 -1,50 Tourists are able to assess how good the final results and information search process are in order to solve problems related to digital tourism services. 2. Tourism Services 7. Simplicity 3.60 4.50 -0,40 Tourists are quite skilled at using digital technology to assess whether service personnel are easy, smooth, fast and easy to understand. 8. Reliability 3.00 4.00 -1,00 Tourists have not yet felt the consistency of digital service performance that is maintained by officers. 9.Officer Responsibilities 3.00 4.30 -1,30 Tourists have not received enough form of responsibility through digital media from officers who provide services according to the time sequence. 10. Officer Skills 3.45 4.40 -0,95 Tourists have not yet felt the capability of digital service providers who have adequate skills and knowledge. 11. Approach to customers 3.00 5.00 -2,00 The ease for tourists to communicate via digital media with officers and understand what is being conveyed has not been optimally achieved. 12. Friendship 3.30 5.00 -1,70 Tourists have not been able to display attitudes of patience, attention, and friendship in interactions with service providers in digital media. So it is important to take a personal approach for the convenience of service interactions. 13. Openness 3.40 4.80 -1,40 Tourists still find it difficult to get easy digital access to all information, so it is necessary to increase the openness of service information. 14. Communication 3.70 4.70 -1,00 Tourists are able to communicate quickly digitally with tourism service providers. 15. Credibility 3.75 4.50 -0,75 Increasing credibility on social media is important to foster mutual trust between tourists and tourism service providers through digital media. 16. Clarity 3.50 17. Security 18. Reality 19. Efficiency 20. Economical 3.40 3.50 4.00 3.50 4.00 4.00 4.70 5.00 5.00 -0,50 -0,60 -1,20 -1,00 -2,00 Tourists are not yet able to read digital information related to service procedures, details of service costs and payment methods, and service completion dates. So it is important to improve innovation related to the clarity of service information. Tourists do not yet fully understand the sense of security and freedom from danger, risk and doubt from a service offered on social media, so improvements and quality enhancements need to be prioritized. Tourists still lack real evidence of services offered on social media, so special attention is needed in terms of the suitability of services. Tourists can easily get the convenience of information digital service requirements. This is an achievement of targeted efficiency so it needs to be maintained and improved. Tourists need accurate information on social media about the cost of the services provided. Source: Researcher data processing results (2023) The table illustrates comprehensive information on the variables and attributes studied in this study, with a focus on information literacy skills and tourism services. Furthermore, the researcher classifies them into four quadrants based on the level of gap between perception and expectation as follows: 1 3 2 4 Figure 2. Results of research analysis (Source: Researcher, 2023) Based on the results of the analysis above, it can be interpreted as follows: Quadrant 1 indicates factors or attributes that are considered important, but information literacy skills in tourism services are not well received by tourists. The variables included in this quadrant are: (2) (6) (7) (11) (12) (13) (18) (20). Therefore, these items are the main priority for tourists in an effort to improve and develop their information literacy skills. Quadrant 2 reflects factors or attributes that are considered important, and tourist information literacy skills related to these attributes have been well implemented by tourists. The attributes included in this quadrant are: (1) (3) (4) (14) (15) (19). Therefore, these items become a scale to maintain the achievement of information literacy skills related to tourism services. Quadrant 3 indicates factors that are considered less important, so that information literacy skills in tourism services are not implemented well. The attributes included in this quadrant are: (5) (8) (9) (10) (16) (17). Therefore, the items included in this quadrant can be ignored or have a lower priority level in efforts to improve information literacy skills in tourism services. Meanwhile, quadrant 4 describes factors or attributes that are considered less important, but are implemented excessively. There are no attributes included in this quadrant, so it can be concluded that the attributes that are very important for improving information literacy skills have been considered good for tourists as digital media users. The results of this study provide important insights into the relationship between factors or attributes that are considered important in tourism services and tourists' information literacy skills. The discussion of the research that has been conducted includes the following: Quadrant 1 Top Priorities This quadrant shows factors or attributes that are considered important by tourists but related information literacy skills have not been implemented properly. The variables included in this quadrant are the main priorities of tourists in efforts to improve and develop their information literacy skills. By identifying these variables, tourism service providers can focus on improving services and providing more effective information. Improvement and development steps must focus on the variables included in this quadrant. The main priorities that need to be improved are related to the ease of information search strategies on social media, the ease of digital tourism service information strategies, the evaluation of digital tourism services, improving the approach to tourists, strengthening friendships between tourists and service providers, the openness of service information needed by tourists, the form of service offered is truly real, the accuracy of information on social media about the cost of the services set. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on developing services and infrastructure that support improving information literacy for tourists and improving the overall quality of tourism. Quadrant 2 Maintenance of Achievement This quadrant shows factors or attributes that are considered important and related to information literacy skills that have been well implemented by tourists. The attributes included in this quadrant become a scale to maintain the achievement of information literacy skills related to tourism services. This confirms that the efforts made to meet the information needs of tourists related to these attributes have been successful, and efforts need to be made to maintain these standards. The maintenance of the intended achievement of tourism services is increasing the clarity of the division of labor of tourism service officers, ease of access to information on destination locations, ease of use of digital services, speed of communication, strengthening the credibility of digital services as a driver of tourist trust levels, time efficiency. If this is done by service providers, it will have an impact on the satisfaction of users of digital technology services so that the sustainability of tourism activities can be realized optimally. Quadrant 3 Low Priority This quadrant shows factors that are considered less important by tourists, so that information literacy skills in tourism services have not been implemented properly. Attributes included in this quadrant can be ignored or have a lower priority level in efforts to improve the optimization of information literacy skills in tourism services. Although these attributes may still be relevant, improvements or development are better focused on other quadrants that have higher priorities. Low priority tourism is a category that shows relatively small needs or interests in tourism development. Those included in this category need to be evaluated based on the interests of digital service users. These attributes are the synthesis of literacy results, the reliability of the consistency of digital service providers, the responsibility of digital service officers, the competence of officers, the clarity of digital service procedure information and the security of digital services. Therefore, it is important to allocate resources and pay attention to aspects of tourism that have high priority in efforts to improve information literacy skills and improve the quality of tourism services as a whole so that they are right on target. Quadrant 4 is Not Relevant Quadrant IV describes a situation where there are variables that are considered less important by consumers and their implementation has been carried out well (Fitriana et al., 2020). Based on the research that has been conducted, there are no attributes included in this quadrant, so it can be concluded that the attributes that are very important for improving information literacy skills are considered good for tourists as digital media users. These results prove that there are no irrelevant or redundant elements in the context of information literacy skills in tourism service providers. By understanding the division of variables into these four quadrants, tourism service providers can allocate their resources more efficiently and focus on aspects that really matter to the tourist experience in terms of information literacy. In addition, it is important to consider the needs and priorities of tourists in terms of information literacy can also help in developing better service strategies in the future.

The digitalization of tourism has been positively embraced by tourists. The adoption of digital based information services has proven to be effective in stimulating economic growth and meeting tourists' needs and desires by offering a variety of creative and innovative features on social media, encompassing both product-related and other essential information for tourists. Furthermore, tourists' information literacy skills have been enhanced through the development of information literacy technology. To further improve these skills, tourists are encouraged to focus on specific attributes within quadrant 1 (attributes 2, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 18, and 20), while maintaining attributes in quadrant 2 (attributes 1, 3, 4, 14, 15, 19). This approach will ensure that tourists’ information needs regarding tourism services are met accurately, with high quality, and free from misleading or false information. Improving information literacy skills is a crucial step for tourists to acquire reliable tourism service information during their travels. However, the current study has some limitations, particularly in analyzing the long-term impact of digital tourism services on information literacy and tourist decision-making. Future research could focus on the development and evaluation of information literacy training programs tailored to the needs of tourists within the context of tourism digitalization. Such research should also assess the effectiveness of these programs and explore the relationship between information literacy skills, tourist experiences, and decision-making. Additionally, further studies could examine the development of tools and methods for evaluating the quality of digital information, aiming to provide valuable insights into enhancing tourist information literacy in the era of digitalized tourism, ultimately ensuring that tourists obtain accurate and reliable information during their travels.