The integration of digital technologies in the modern tourism industry transforms the service delivery, especially in homestays that are run on smart tourism platforms. This paper examines how application security affects tourist satisfaction in homestays in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh using the SERVQUAL model as a framework of analysis. Using quantitative data collected among 140 participants, the study evaluates the level of awareness of security features of the platforms and their impact on trust and perceived quality of services. Findings indicate that although the respondents were aware of some of the common security measures like OTP verification and secure payments, they did not know much about the advanced tools. However, the perceived security was identified to significantly increase trust, which, in turn, increased satisfaction in all dimensions of SERVQUAL, especially assurance and reliability. These results indicate the need to ensure that platform developers and other tourism stakeholders focus on visible, user-friendly security solutions to promote trust and facilitate improved tourist experiences. As a result, the study contributes to the emerging literature on digital trust in smart tourism settings.