Tips and trips: a structural model of guests’ intentions to stay and tip for AI-based services in hotels
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology
ISSN: 1757-9880
Article publication date: 29 November 2023
Issue publication date: 2 January 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Given the rapid development in artificial intelligence (AI), the hotel industry is deploying AI-based systems. In line with this important development, this study aims to examine the impact of trust in the hotel and AI-related performance ambiguity on consumers’ engagement with AI-based systems. This study ultimately examined the impact of engagement on consumers’ intentions to stay in hotels offering such systems, and intentions to tip.
Design/methodology/approach
This study developed a conceptual model based on the social cognition theory. The study used an online survey methodology and collected data from a nationwide sample of 400 hotel consumers from the USA. The data analysis was conducted with structural equation modeling.
Findings
Consumers’ engagement is strongly influenced by their trust in the hotel but not by performance ambiguity associated with AI. In turn, engagement strongly influenced consumers’ intentions to stay in hotels that have such systems and their intentions to tip.
Originality/value
As AI systems capable of making decisions for consumers are becoming increasingly present in hotels, little is known about the way consumers engage with such systems and whether their engagement leads to economic impact. This is the first study that validated a model that explains intentions to stay and tip for services facilitated by autonomous AI-based systems that can make decisions for consumers.
研究目的
鉴于人工智能领域的快速发展, 酒店业正在部署基于人工智能的系统。为此, 本研究探讨了客人对酒店的信任和与AI相关的性能模糊性对消费者与基于AI的系统互动的影响。最终, 本研究考察了参与度对客人在提供此类系统的酒店住宿意愿和小费意愿的影响。
研究方法
本研究基于社会认知理论开发了一个概念模型。研究采用在线调查方法, 从美国全国范围的400名酒店消费者中收集数据, 并采用结构方程建模进行数据分析。
研究发现
消费者的参与度受酒店的信任强烈影响, 但不受与AI相关的性能模糊性的影响。反过来, 参与度强烈影响了消费者在提供此类系统的酒店住宿和给小费的意愿。
研究创新
随着能够代表消费者做出决策的人工智能（AI）系统在酒店中日益普及, 人们对消费者如何与这类系统互动以及他们的互动是否会产生经济影响知之甚少。这是第一项验证了一个可以解释在自主的基于AI系统的服务下住宿和给小费意愿的模型的研究。
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study is based on a project supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK – Project No. 1059B192100499) and the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership, University of Houston.
Declarations of interest: None.
Since submission of this article, the following author has updated their affiliation: Aslihan Dursun-Cengizci is also at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
Citation
Morosan, C. and Dursun-Cengizci, A. (2024), "Tips and trips: a structural model of guests’ intentions to stay and tip for AI-based services in hotels", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 170-194. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-10-2022-0293
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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