Hospitality Industry Research Articles

Perception of Tourists on Chatbot Service Usage on Tourism Destination: A Study of Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria

Quest for satisfying tourists and customers’ expectations across the globe led to the development and application of various information communication technologies (ICT) in the hospitality and tourism industry. These information communication technologies have been adopted by tourism enterprises and managers such as Email, Mobile Phone, Social Media Networking (Facebook, WhatsApp, Zoom, Artificial Intelligence). Also, the quest for providing friendly interaction among tourists and destination managers further led to the development of one of the artificial intelligence algorithms known as chatbot. Chatbots are Artificial Intelligence (AI) test and/or voice-based virtual assistants that aid customers to get what they ask for quickly and accurately through a conversation in natural human language. Chatbots have been reported to be the technology for hotels, travel agencies, and airlines, however, there is no evidence-based research on the factors that explain consumers’ willingness to interact with chatbots. It is on this basis that this research is carried out. The research examined tourists’ usage of chatbots, focusing on the Kainji Lake Park (Nigeria). It is an exploratory research that utilized descriptive statistics to analyze data collected. The findings reveal that tourists are aware of the existence of chatbots as deployed to tourism industry. Also, it found that chatbots enhance destination information search. As an emerging market, stakeholders and management in the tourism industry should integrate chatbots into their main information communication technologies to enhance customer patronage.

POST-PANDEMIC DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: MITIGATING TECHNOSTRESS AND INCREASING WELL-BEING IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY VIA THE PERSON-TECHNOLOGY FIT MODEL

Understanding how to reduce employee tech stress is crucial for improving workforce well-being and maximizing operational efficiency in the tourism and hospitality sectors due to the post-COVID-19 digital transformation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of enhancing restaurant employees' digital transformation readiness and technological device readiness on reducing employees' technostress. The study employed a qualitative methodology of semi-structured interviews, primarily addressing the paucity of scholarly investigations within this specific research area. The interviewee cohort encompassed both managerial and staff members from two distinct categories of restaurants (i.e., fast-food and casual dining restaurants). The study found eight factors related to the readiness of restaurant employees for digital transformation, as well as four factors related to the readiness of restaurant technological devices. According to interviewees, these factors have been found to reduce restaurant employees' techno stressors. Theoretically, this study extends the digital transformation readiness model from three to eight factors, and the study extends the person technology fit model from three to four factors to reduce employees' technostress. From a managerial perspective, restaurant managers can use the study framework to enhance employees' technological skills, foster a positive attitude toward digital transformation, and invest in user-friendly technology, which can ultimately reduce technostress and improve employee well-being and performance in the dynamic hospitality industry.

PERSONNEL SELECTION IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WITH THE INTEGRATED ENTROPY-RAPS MODEL

The personnel selection and recruitment process are crucial in labour-intensive hospitality industry because the personnel are the most important resource that interacts closely with the guests and ultimately determines the performance of the organization. This study tackled the human resources manager selection problem at a five-star accommodation facility in Alanya, employing “Multiple Criteria Decision Making” (MCDM) methods. The characteristics that individuals applying for this position should possess were established through the opinions of hotel managers. The indicator weights and the rankings of candidates were established using the Entropy and RAPS methods, respectively. The study concluded that the model employed is well-suited for the process of selecting personnel. This study is seen as a valuable addition to the literature, as it marks the inaugural application of the Entropy-RAPS model in addressing personnel selection challenges.

The performance of Croatian hotel companies – DEA window and Malmquist productivity index approach

The hospitality industry operates in a dynamic and competitive environment whereefficiency and productivity are crucial for sustainable success. The main goal ofthis paper is to assess the dynamic changes in the efficiency and productivity oflarge and very large Croatian hotel companies and to investigate whether theirlocation influences these factors. It also aims to determine how resilient thecompanies are to macroeconomic shocks and to identify the causes of inefficiencyand productivity changes separately for each location. The analysis is conductedfor 70 large and very large hotel companies in total and separately for those incoastal and the continental Croatia from 2017 to 2022 using the Window DataEnvelopment Analysis and the Malmquist Productivity Index. The results show aslight decrease in relative efficiency in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19pandemic. The main cause of inefficiency for coastal hotel companies throughoutthe period is management performance and other exogenous factors. Conversely,the main cause of inefficiency for continental hotel companies shifted from non-optimal production size to management and other exogenous factors after 2020.Productivity declined between 2019 and 2020 due to the decline in technologicalchange for companies in both locations. Prior to 2020, coastal and continentalhotel companies followed a similar trend. While coastal hotels recovered faster in2021, continental hotels recovered more steadily and achieved higher productivityin 2022. This research provides valuable insights for hotel managers andacademics seeking to navigate the ever-changing field of hotel management.

BEYOND SERVICE EXCELLENCE: EXPLORING BRAND IMAGE AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN SERVICE QUALITY AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN NATURE TOURIST CAMPS

The previous research emphasized the importance of service quality, brand image, and customer loyalty in the context of the hospitality industry, However, there seems to be a need for more in-depth investigation into the specific mechanisms and strategies of service quality within the nature tourist camps that contribute to building a positive brand image and fostering customer loyalty. To cover this gap in knowledge, this study examined customer loyalty and brand image perception about nature tourist camps service quality in Jordan. This research is crucial due to the rapid growth of the outdoor accommodation industry and the importance of service quality. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data collected from tourists who stayed at Wadi Rum. The results demonstrate that brand image significantly mediates the relationship between SERVRQUAL model dimensions and customer loyalty. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

Problems of resource provision of Ukraine enterprises in the hotel sector in a state of war

Introduction. During the war in Ukraine, the hotel industry underwent significant changes. Due to restrictions and danger, the flow of tourists decreased, which affected the income of hotels. However, many institutions began to provide their premises for temporary accommodation of displaced persons and volunteers. This made it possible to maintain activities and save jobs. The use of resources in the hospitality industry during wartime is critical. Ensuring quality service in conditions of limited opportunities requires optimal allocation of funds, supplies and human resources. Control over resources helps enterprises not only to survive, but also to find new ways of development, in particular through innovative solutions, social projects and support of economic growth. The purpose of the paper is to determine the problems of resource provision of enterprises of the hotel sector of Ukraine in a state of war. Results. The war situation in Ukraine had a great impact on the hotel industry and forced businesses to adapt to new conditions. Hotels have become not only a place for temporary accommodation, but also a refuge for refugees, and restaurants have the ability to provide work flow and phone charges for customers. The difficulties in providing resources such as material, financial, human and other have become particularly relevant. Hotels and restaurants respond to these challenges by taking into account the protection of employees and guests, attracting financial and material support and adapting to limited conditions. Secured resources became a key part of the survival and further development of the hotel industry during the war. Conclusion. The specificity of resourcing the hotel industry requires the maximum level of security for consumers, and also becomes a problem for business owners who are faced with attacks on infrastructure and lack of materials due to a complex logistics process or financial situation. Problems with material, financial, human, informational, technical, natural and property support have become extremely urgent, so the provision of some resources in wartime conditions have become priorities for hotels and restaurants. Understanding resource management principles such as autonomy, continuity, compliance, adaptability, planning, focus, and resource conservation helps businesses respond to the challenges of war effectively and in time. An important component of success in these conditions is not only the preservation of operational activity, but also the ability to adapt to new conditions and provide anything needed, including personnel, in wartime conditions.

Technology start-ups in tourism and hospitality: A networked social capital theory perspective from early-stage start-up founders

Technology start-up entrepreneurship serves as the backbone of innovations within the tourism and hospitality industry. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research investigating the perspectives of founders who are the original innovators. Via social capital theory, this study aims to explore the entrepreneurial processes of founders during the critical early stages, determining the survival of technology start-ups. The research adopts a qualitative in-depth interviewing approach with seventeen early-stage tourism and hospitality start-up founders in Hong Kong and Thailand. By employing abductive thematic analysis, the study develops a novel conceptualization of the networked social capital, comprising four interconnected themes: team building, fundraising and resource acquisition, collaboration and partnerships, and credibility building. Also, the study highlights the evolving social dynamics among start-up ecosystem actors influenced by cutting-edge technologies. This study contributes to the tourism and hospitality literature and offers practical implications for start-up entrepreneurs, public policymakers, and tourism and hospitality firms.

Intelligent technologies and applications in Smart Tourism—A systematic review

<p>Smart tourism has used information technology with the infrastructure environments built for all kinds of tourism services that provide advantages for tourists, service providers, technology companies or the city itself. Due to the popularity of mobile technologies and applications, smart tourism undoubtedly changes consumers’ and providers’ behavior. The purpose of this study is to provide a systematic literature review of academic research related to information technology, computer science, mobile technologies and applications in smart tourism published between 2017 and 2019. Published articles are gathered from online search engines “Google Scholar”, “ScienceDirect” and “EBSCOHOST”. According to a keyword-driven search and content analysis, 142 articles have been chosen for examination in this research. Selected publications are collected and analyzed according to the proposed research questions, methodology, topics, technology focus, sub-themes and future trends that are thematically classified into three main categories: consumer perspective, technological perspective and provider perspective. The findings provide to an overall understanding of the most recent research into information technology, computer science, mobile technologies and applications in smart tourism by demonstrating the main results, methods, future trends and other insights of relevant publications. This study provides a systematic review of the most current published academic research from 2017 to 2019 on information technology, computer science, mobile technologies and applications in smart tourism. The results of this study construct an agenda for future research in tourism and hospitality industry by identifying major future trends and developments in smart tourism.<strong></strong></p>

A Qualitative Evaluation of Smoke-Free Policy Implementation among the Hospitality Industry in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Background: The Indonesian government has implemented various regulations, including smoke-free policies (SFPs) aimed at reducing exposure to second-hand smoke and improving public health. However, the implementation of these policies has encountered challenges. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the implementation of SFP in the hospitality industry in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Methods: Three focus group discussions with the managers of hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops (n=19) were conducted in November 2021. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Three themes were identified: 1) Efforts to implement SFPs at hospitality premises; 2) Reasons for adopting SFPs; and 3) Challenges for policy implementation. Many hospitalities industry have undertaken efforts to implement SFPs, though they are not comprehensive. The reasons for implementing SFPs include protecting second-hand smokers, meeting guest preferences, and creating a fresher environment. Resistance from customers has become a significant challenge, as some view SFPs as an infringement on personal freedom. Furthermore, unclear sanctions and enforcement from the government also highlighted by participant as the main barriers of SFPs implementation. Conclusion: Overall, while there is significant effort to implement SFPs in hospitality venues, challenges such as customer resistance and unclear government guidance persist. This condition underscores the need for clearer policies and support mechanisms for successful implementation.

Readiness for Change in the Hospitality Industry in Indonesia

This study aims to obtain empirical evidence regarding the influence of organizational culture, perceived organizational support, and organizational commitment on readiness for change. This type of quantitative research is quantitative research where the sample is 111 respondents who were analyzed using SEM-PLS. The results showed that organizational culture, perceived organizational support, and organizational commitment positively affect readiness for change. Studies show that if the organizational culture, perceived organizational support, and organizational commitment are reasonable, it will increase employee readiness for change during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. This research implies that The Royale Krakatau Hotel can create a web-based knowledge management system or application that can distribute employee knowledge anywhere and anytime. Second, it is important to pay attention to non-financial support, such as providing a more transparent employee of the month so that employees feel that the assessment is correct. Third, the organization can routinely look up to and calculate the workload of each employee so that the compensation and workload provided by the company are by the provisions without harming employees. Fourth, a change agent should be formed to manage any resistance to change and be more sensitive to the reasons why employees resist change to improve the employees' ability to understand and manage resistance to change.

Ergonomics and Work Productivity in the Hospitality Industry: A Theoretical Review

Ergonomics and Work Productivity in the Hospitality Industry: A Theoretical Review

What Can Hospitality Do to Encourage Gen Z to Pursue Frontline Service Jobs with Enthusiasm in The Industry?

Through an exploratory literature search, the author aims to use these realistic recruitment strategies to appeal to the Generation Z hospitality workers and examine the benefits and drawbacks for them. This paper surveys the research on four main key words: 1. Work passion, based on the model of two dimensions by Vallerand et al. (2003): harmonious passion and obsessive passion, 2. Talent management, which contrasts the conventional approach to talent management with the post-pandemic era and the emergence of ESG, 3. Front-line hospitality service staff, describing their roles and significance, 4. What are the traits of Generation Z that distinguish them from other generations. Next, the researcher reviews the 7 characteristics of Gen Z from the literature findings and explore how to enhance the motivation of Gen Z hospitality frontline service staff and propose efficient management strategies based on these characteristics. The paper identifies 7 strategies to attract Gen Z to the hospitality industry with talent management. It suggests innovative and feasible ways to hire hospitality talent from the reports. It also examines how to make frontline service jobs more satisfying for Gen Z and address career challenges. The paper helps the hospitality sector in drawing Gen Z workers, who are essential to reduce the gap and shortage of workers and staff turnover.

Job Seeker's Perceived Employability and Hiring Manager's Decision-Making in the Hospitality Industry

The relationship between job applicants 'perceived employability' and employers' actual hiring decisions is an important issue for both job applicants and hiring organizations, as well as higher education. Actual 'employability' is a set of skills and qualifications suitable for organizational job roles when hiring managers make decisions. However, most research heavily focuses on job applicants: the relationship among perceived employability, proactive career behavior, and career motivation. Little research has involved actual 'employability' from the perspective of hiring managers. The study examines both perceived employability and the employability of hospitality industry hiring managers. The hospitality industry's turnover rate is much higher than the overall industry average. We investigate the relationship between hospitality job applicants' career motivation and perceived employability mediated through proactive career behavior.

The potential of the institutional sector in the development of the tourism industry of the Republic of Yemen

This article presents the problems of institutional weakness in tourism development, despite the presence of many tourism resources and opportunities. Tourism today is an important element of the global economy in the 21st century, making it a global industry where countries compete in various related sectors. Tourism in the Republic of Yemen and the prospects for its development in terms of opportunities are considered as one of the strategic directions. As is known, the driving core of tourism in any country is concentrated in the companies that manage, organize, and develop tourism products and activities in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Effectiveness of Message Framing in Changing Restaurant Diners’ Plant-Based Meat Consumption

Drawing on regulatory fit theory, construal level theory, and means-end theory, this research examined the effects of message framing, message information, and message description on restaurant diners’ consumption intentions (CI) and the amount more they would be willing to pay ($WTP) for a plant-based diet. The study employed a mixed between-within-group methodology with a micro-longitudinal 2 (gain vs. loss framing) × 2 (health vs. environment information) × 2 (attribute-based vs. benefit-based description) scenario-based experimental design. An analysis of 361 survey responses revealed that health information should be conveyed through gain-framed messages with benefit-based descriptions, whereas environment information should be conveyed through loss-framed messages with attribute-based descriptions. These results enriched our understanding of diners’ attitudes towards plant-based meat consumption. The findings lay a theoretical foundation for future studies and present practical implications for the hospitality industry.

Conservation of resources for sustainable performance in tourism

This study aims to examine the impact of green purchasing, waste management, eco-friendly design of products and services, and customer relationship management on sustainable performance in the South Asian tourism industry. The contemporary tourism and hospitality industry increasingly focuses on environmental sustainability. The tourism sector is considered to contribute significantly to the economy. It allows employment and generates economic profits, resulting in an increase in overall economic activity. This study used deductive and quantitative approaches to evaluate the research hypotheses. Data was gathered from 463 tourism-related businesses situated across diverse locations in Pakistan. This study discovered that green purchasing has a significant impact on sustainable performance. Similarly, waste management, eco-friendly design of products and services, and customer relationship management all had a significant impact on sustainable performance. This research presents a framework that highlights the practices of tourism businesses in attaining sustainable performance, utilizing the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory for support. The inclusion of COR theory in examining variables related to sustainable performance is considered a unique and pioneering contribution to interdisciplinary fields such as supply chain management and the tourism industry. Furthermore, this study is the first of its kind in the South Asian region, specifically in Pakistan.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AS A FACTOR IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SERVICE ORGANIZATION IN THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT BUSINESS

This article reveals aspects of the impact of innovative technologies on improving the quality of service organization in the hotel and restaurant business. The issue of improving the quality of the organization of customer service at the enterprises of the hotel and restaurant complex was considered. The peculiarities of the application of innovative technologies at enterprises in modern conditions are analyzed. The development of information technologies and growing competition in the market of hotel services necessitate the active use of innovations in the operation of modern hotels. Nowadays, innovation is considered one of the important competitive advantages of the hospitality industry. At the same time, the spectrum of application of innovations in the activity of a hotel enterprise is quite multifaceted. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the use of innovations in the activities of enterprises of the hotel industry. The hypothesis of the study was the assumption that the key trends in the development of innovations in the hotel industry are digitization, resource-saving technologies and environmental protection. The research methodology was based on system analysis. The article examines innovations in the hotel industry that are relevant to today's realities. Analysis of existing developments and experience of using innovations in modern hotel enterprises of Ukraine allowed the author to clarify the classification of types of innovations in the hotel industry. Based on the results of the research, the main problems that arise in the process of introducing innovations in the hotel industry have been verified, and methods of their elimination have been determined. Scope: the obtained results can be used in the practical activities of hotel enterprises in the modernization and improvement of the service process. The author proves that "green technologies" have been given a prominent place in the innovations of the hotel industry in recent years. At the same time, the idea of environmental protection is implemented not only in the aspect of providing comfortable conditions for guests, but also at all stages of the life of a hotel enterprise: from engineering research, design, construction and operation to major repairs, reconstruction and complete liquidation.

Corporate good deed and service failure: does being good lead to forgiveness?

ABSTRACT While Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has a positive influence on transactional outcomes following a service failure in the hospitality industry, little is known about its influence on consumer forgiveness, particularly relating to individual differences in subjective interpretations and perceptions. We investigate how different subjective interpretations (abstract and concrete mind-sets, i.e. construal level) and perceptions (i.e. warmth and competence) shape the effects of CSR on consumer forgiveness. Through three studies involving different service scenarios, we find that CSR effectively induces consumer forgiveness, with a stronger effect observed among those with an abstract mind-set (i.e. high-level construal) due to their warmth judgment. These findings underscore the importance of CSR in influencing consumer forgiveness and mitigating the negative outcomes of service failure, especially in situations where recovery with compensation is not feasible.

Unlocking Sustainability through Innovation: A Green HR Approach for Hospitality Industry

Unlocking Sustainability through Innovation: A Green HR Approach for Hospitality Industry

Retaining young employees in the hospitality and tourism sector: the role of workplace context and management practices

PurposeThis research study investigates the relationship between management practices and young employee retention in the hospitality and tourism industry in Lebanon. Besides, it examines the moderating role of the workplace context in the relationship between management practices and employment retention in the industry.Design/methodology/approachNon-probability purposive sampling method was used to collect 421 questionnaires through a survey of young employees. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Cronbach's alpha test are conducted to test the construct validity, reliability, and internal consistency of collected data. Descriptive statistics are used to interpret the data. Zero-order correlations, multiple regression analysis and Fisher's Z-test are applied to assess the interrelations of the various groups of variables and the determinants of young employee retention.FindingsThe findings show that management practices tested in this study have significant relationships with young employee retention in the hospitality and tourism industry in Lebanon. Further, the findings reveal that the workplace context moderates the relationship between three management practices (participation in decision-making, training, and performance recognition) and young employee retention.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that managers in hospitality and tourism businesses must improve their management practices and promote a positive workplace context to retain young employees.Originality/valueFinally, this study is the only one that tests the moderating role of the workplace context in the relationship between five selected management practices (participation in decision-making, training, performance recognition, remuneration and job continuity) and young employee retention. Previous studies used fewer variables.