Service robots as a tool for physical distancing in tourism

Abstract

ABSTRACT COVID-19 pandemic is affecting negatively the tourism and hospitality industry. As people must avoid physical interaction, service robots can be a useful tool to ensure a high level of physical social distance during the epidemic. This paper steps on available secondary data and discusses whether the application of service robots to provide physical distance in tourism and hospitality context is going to be beneficial or there will be side effects as well. The paper posits that service robots create a technological shield between tourists and employees that increases the physical and emotional distance between them. Tourism and hospitality companies need to complement robots with other technologies to provide social connectedness and offset the negative consequences of physical distancing.