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Orbital and sub-orbital space tourism: motivation, constraint and artificial intelligence

Myung Ja Kim (The College of Hotel and Tourism Management, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
Colin Michael Hall (Department of Management, Marketing, and Tourism, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand The College of Hotel and Tourism Management, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; School of Business and Economics, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden; Department of Service Management and Service Studies, University of Lund, Helsingborg, Sweden and Department of CRiC, Taylor University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Ohbyung Kwon (School of Management, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
Kyunghwa Hwang (School of Management, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
Jinok Susanna Kim (Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China and Smart Tourism Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea)

Tourism Review

ISSN: 1660-5373

Article publication date: 19 May 2023

Issue publication date: 6 February 2024

670

Abstract

Purpose

There is limited research on the behavior of different categories of space tourists as identified by different types of space tourism. To address this deficiency, the purpose of this study is to examine what factors make consumers participate in orbital and/or suborbital space tourism, along with three dimensions of motivation, constraint and artificial intelligence. To achieve this study’s goals, a comprehensive research model was developed that included three dimensions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, intrapersonal and interpersonal constraint and awareness of and trust in artificial intelligence, in comparing orbital and suborbital space tourism groups.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was carried out with respondents who wanted to participate in orbital (n = 332) and suborbital (n = 332) space tourism in the future. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, multi-group analysis and deep learning were used to understand potential space tourist behavior.

Findings

Extrinsic motivation has the greatest positive impact on behavioral intention, followed by awareness of and trust in artificial intelligence, while intrapersonal constraint strongly negatively affects behavioral intention. Surprisingly, interpersonal constraint is insignificant by partial least squares-structural equation modeling but is still one of sufficient causal configurations by fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Interestingly, the two types of space tourism have very distinct characteristics.

Originality/value

This study created a comprehensive integrated research model with three dimensions of motivation, constraint and artificial intelligence, along with potential orbital and suborbital space tourist groups, to identify future consumer behavior. Importantly, this study used multi-analysis methods using four different approaches to better shed light on potential orbital and suborbital space tourists.

目的

对不同类型太空旅游所识别的不同类别太空游客行为的研究有限。 为了解决这一缺陷, 这项工作研究了哪些因素使消费者参与轨道和/或亚轨道太空旅游, 以及动机、约束和人工智能三个维度。 为了实现研究目标, 在比较轨道和亚轨道太空旅游群体时, 开发了一个综合研究模型, 包括内在和外在动机、内在和人际约束以及对人工智能的认识和信任三个维度。

设计/方法/方法

对希望在未来参与轨道 (n = 332) 和亚轨道 (n = 332) 太空旅游的受访者进行了问卷调查。 利用偏最小二乘法 (PLS)-结构方程模型 (SEM)、模糊集定性比较分析 (fsQCA)、多组分析和深度学习来了解潜在的太空游客行为。

发现

外在动机对行为意图的积极影响最大, 其次是对人工智能的认识和信任, 而内在约束对行为意图有强烈的负面影响。 令人惊讶的是, 人际约束对于 PLS-SEM 来说是微不足道的, 但对于 fsQCA 来说仍然是充分的因果配置之一。 有趣的是, 这两类太空旅游具有非常鲜明的特点。

独创性/价值

这项工作创建了一个全面的综合研究模型, 具有动机、约束和人工智能三个维度, 以及潜在的轨道和亚轨道太空旅游群体, 以确定未来的消费者行为。 重要的是, 这项研究采用了多种分析方法, 使用四种不同的方法来更好地揭示潜在的轨道和亚轨道太空游客。

Propósito

existe una investigación limitada sobre el comportamiento de las diferentes categorías de turistas espaciales identificados por diferentes tipos de turismo espacial. Para abordar esta deficiencia, este trabajo examina qué factores hacen que los consumidores participen en el turismo espacial orbital y/o suborbital, junto con tres dimensiones de motivación, restricción e inteligencia artificial. Para lograr los objetivos del estudio, se desarrolló un modelo de investigación integral que incluía tres dimensiones de motivación intrínseca y extrínseca, restricción intrapersonal e interpersonal, y conocimiento y confianza en la inteligencia artificial, al comparar grupos de turismo espacial orbital y suborbital.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

se realizó un cuestionario con los encuestados que querían participar en el turismo espacial orbital (n = 332) y suborbital (n = 332) en el futuro. Se utilizaron modelos de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM) de mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS), análisis comparativo cualitativo de conjuntos borrosos (fsQCA), análisis multigrupo y aprendizaje profundo para comprender el comportamiento potencial del turista espacial.

Hallazgos

la motivación extrínseca tiene el mayor impacto positivo en la intención de comportamiento, seguida de la conciencia y la confianza en la inteligencia artificial, mientras que la restricción intrapersonal afecta negativamente la intención de comportamiento. Sorprendentemente, la restricción interpersonal es insignificante por PLS-SEM, pero sigue siendo una de las configuraciones causales suficientes por fsQCA. Curiosamente, los dos tipos de turismo espacial tienen características muy distintas.

Originalidad/valor

este trabajo creó un modelo de investigación integral integral con tres dimensiones de motivación, restricción e inteligencia artificial, junto con posibles grupos de turistas espaciales orbitales y suborbitales para identificar el comportamiento futuro del consumidor. Es importante destacar que este estudio empleó métodos de análisis múltiple utilizando cuatro enfoques diferentes para arrojar mejor luz sobre los posibles turistas espaciales orbitales y suborbitales.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editor and four anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments. The authors also thank Mr Minseong Kim and Ms Nayoung Yang for their thoughtful advice and assistance in refining the survey instrument as well as Ms Sunhee Lim for her dedicated help in managing the grant project.

This work was supported by Institute of Information and Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation grant funded by the Korean Government (RS-2022–00155911), Artificial Intelligence Convergence Innovation Human Resources Development (Kyung Hee University) and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2020S1A3A2A02093277).

Declaration of conflicting interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Citation

Kim, M.J., Hall, C.M., Kwon, O., Hwang, K. and Kim, J.S. (2024), "Orbital and sub-orbital space tourism: motivation, constraint and artificial intelligence", Tourism Review, Vol. 79 No. 2, pp. 392-407. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-01-2023-0017

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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