DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND THE RETENTION OF TOURISM REVENUE IN LOCAL ECONOMIES ACROSS THE REGIONS OF UZBEKISTAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23285915Abstract
The development of digital booking platforms has transformed the distribution of tourist expenditure, accelerating the shift from direct payments to online and platform-based booking systems. The study aims to assess the factors influencing the retention of tourism revenue within the local economies of rural tourism enterprises across the regions of Uzbekistan. Structural equation modeling (SEM), path analysis, and regression methods were employed. Within the SEM framework, the effects of platform dependence, platform fees, direct bookings, and local sourcing on the level of revenue retention in local economies were assessed. Regression analysis was also used to examine the relationship between online bookings and the revenue retained by tourism enterprises, as well as the effect of platform fees on revenue retention. The results indicate that the use of digital platforms had a moderately positive effect on the number of bookings, while direct bookings contributed to local revenue retention by reducing platform-related fees. Local sourcing was also identified as an important factor supporting the circulation of tourism revenue within the region. The findings suggest that the effective use of digital platforms, combined with stronger local economic linkages, can contribute to enhancing the economic potential of rural tourism enterprises.Keywords
digital booking platforms, local revenue retention, rural tourism, platform fees, direct bookings, local sourcing, structural equation modeling (SEM)References
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