Applying Design Thinking for Tourism Innovation: Developing a Web-Based Platform for Destination Visibility

Abstract

The digital transformation of tourism has created new opportunities for destinations to enhance visibility and engage with potential visitors. However, many tourism destinations still face challenges of digital invisibility, which limits their competitiveness in increasingly technologydriven markets. This study applies the design thinking methodology to develop the Wonder of Jorak (WOJ), a mobile-accessible web-based platform designed to strengthen the digital visibility of Mukim Jorak, Johor. Using a qualitative, user-centred approach, the research engaged local stakeholders and potential visitors across the five stages of design thinking, empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Findings demonstrate that user-centred design processes help uncover user needs, improve usability, and refine destination narratives, resulting in a platform that enhances destination visibility. The study contributes to tourism innovation research by illustrating how design thinking can be systematically applied to digital platform development, offering practical implications for destination in similar contexts.