“Home alone” no more: How does the internet of things (IoT) enhance travellers' subjective well-being

Abstract

Although extensive research has recognized the importance of both IoT technologies and human well-being, the impact of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies on travellers' subjective well-being (SWB) in the information technology literature remains limited. This study aims to explore the factors and extent to which IoT technologies affect travellers' SWB during short-term trips. To this end, an integrated model was developed. The proposed model was empirically evaluated using survey data collected from a sample of 1028 British and 970 Chinese short-term travellers. A multigroup analysis has been conducted using Structural Equations Modelling (SEM) with Amos 26.0 software. The results reveal TTF has a positive indirect effect on consumers' SWB via perceived benefits in both groups and a positive direct impact in the case of the British group. However, no significant relationship was observed between TTF and travellers' SWB in the case of the Chinese group. Theoretically, this study first empirically explores and advances our knowledge of how the SWB of short-term travellers is affected by the use of IoT technologies across countries. From a practical viewpoint, this study may guide marketers toward a better understanding of how to use IoT technologies to enhance their consumers' subjective well-being in different countries.