Robots in Tourism and Hospitality: The Perception of Future Professionals

Abstract

This research is aimed at analyzing the perception of future tourism professionals about the presence of robots in the hospitality industry. It was based on data obtained from undergraduate and master students in tourism and hospitality, through a questionnaire that sought to assess their perceptions regarding hospitality, novelty, culture, robot performance management in the tourism industry, and their willingness to work in a partially robotized environment in the future. The analysis of the perceptions of future tourism and hospitality professionals was performed based on a structural equation model and revealed that perceptions of novelty and performance management have a significantly positive impact on the willingness of participants to work in a partially robot environment in the future. When the intention to use robots in the future is included in the model, this positive effect decreases. The current existing research on the application of artificial intelligence in hospitality and tourism has, mainly, focused on the customer or the hotelier, making it important to understand how generations of future employees in hospitality and tourism view the use of this type of technology, anticipating any future less favorable situations.