The Use of Mobile Phones and their Apps in Tourism Marketing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This study aims at identifying the importance of using smartphone apps in tourism marketing in Al-Kharj Governorate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study used the descriptive and analytical approach in studying its hypotheses and achieving its objectives. It concluded that the majority of the study sample use smartphones and their tourism apps in the process of obtaining information and complete the purchasing process for the tourist trip. These apps are used to attract tourists as the best advertising method that attracts the targeted market. The study presented a set of recommendations, the most important of which is increasing cooperation between the authorities that supervise the tourism activity in the governorate when designing these apps and working to develop the technological infrastructure in line with the nature of development in the field of smartphones.