Hospitality Research Research Articles

Balancing Tradition and Modernity: The Brand Personality of Santiniketan as a Tourist Destination

The present case study rigorously investigates the brand personality of Santiniketan, a prominent tourism destination in West Bengal, India. This research aims to explore the dominant personality dimensions that define Santiniketan’s identity and to examine potential differences in perceptions between tourists who have visited the town and those who have not. Santiniketan’s unique identity, rooted in its cultural heritage, customs and the legacy of Rabindranath Tagore, is communicated through diverse marketing campaigns and promotions. A strong and positive brand personality can set a destination apart, providing a significant competitive advantage and facilitating increased visitation rates. To evaluate Santiniketan’s brand personality, traditionally associated with peace, tranquillity and spirituality, while exploring additional dimensions such as sustainability and environmental consciousness, this study used the rigorous Destination Personality Scale by Kumar and Nayak (2018, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 42, 1, 3–25). The study employed a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative tools, to gather data from 97 respondents through focus group interviews and surveys. Participants aged 18–70 were divided into those who had visited Santiniketan and those who had not but were knowledgeable about the destination. The findings indicate that courteousness, conformity, creativity and tranquillity significantly influence tourists’ perceptions of Santiniketan, with notable differences between visitors and non-visitors. This research contributes to the literature on destination branding by comprehensively understanding Santiniketan’s brand personality, emphasizing its cultural attributes and rich heritage as critical factors in its success as a popular tourist destination. The insights gained can assist destination marketers in aligning their strategies to enhance tourists’ perceptions and increase visitation rates. This study addresses the gap in academic inquiry into Santiniketan’s brand personality, offering valuable implications for developing and promoting similar cultural heritage destinations.

How hotel VR photography previews enhance customers’ immediate booking intention through mental imagery and perceived value

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how a hotel virtual reality photography (VRP) preview enhances customers’ immediate booking intention compared to a picture preview. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a one-factor between-subject experimental design and time-based systematic sampling. Respondents were asked to read a scenario on an iPad and assess a hotel preview (VRPs vs pictures) before answering the questionnaire. Findings The results show that a hotel VRP preview generates more mental imagery than a picture preview in terms of quantity, vividness, modality and valence. These four dimensions of mental imagery indirectly influence customers’ immediate booking intentions through perceived utilitarian value and hedonic value, among which modality has the greatest influence on utilitarian value and valence has the greatest influence on hedonic value. Moreover, utilitarian value has a stronger impact on customers’ immediate booking intentions than does hedonic value. Originality/value The results obtained in this study contribute to hospitality research by using cognitive consistency theory as the overarching framework, combining mental imagery theory, media richness theory and perceived value theory to explain the mechanism of tourists’ hotel booking decision-making from hotel previews. Comparing this study’s results with previous studies shows the difference in the effects of 360° (head-mounted) videos, VRPs and pictures on evoking mental imagery across tourism and hotel products, updating our knowledge of VR technology in tourism marketing.

Anatolia – unveiling its multidisciplinary landscape and future orientations

ABSTRACT Using methods such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and content analysis, this paper does a comprehensive analysis of Anatolia‘s contributions to tourism and hospitality research over the last 27 years, analyzing publishing trends, regional distribution, and topic evolution. The results show a significant increase in worldwide contributions, covering 92 nations, and an interdisciplinary strategy in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG) 11. Important subject clusters are identified by the study, underscoring the journal’s growing influence and its part in determining the course of future research. Through the identification of emergent topics, the study highlights Anatolia‘s engagement in varied topics and offers a strategic framework for future research.

The Motivation Factors for Chinese Female Tourists to Participate in ‘Pin’ Themed Afternoon Tea at Luxury Hotels in Macau from the Sharing Economy Perspective and Self-Determination Theory

ABSTRACT The sharing economy has changed the consumption pattern of hospitality services. This study explored a new situation under the sharing economy service – the “Pin” afternoon tea (a form of group purchases) – and determined consumers’ motivations for participation. Qualitative research was conducted in the context of the sharing economy theory and self-determination theory. The results of interviews with 11 Chinese female tourists revealed nine motivation factors in five main dimensions (financial benefits, social benefits, sustainability, enjoyment, and novelty) of “Pin” afternoon teas: cost saving, product scarcity, expanding the circle of friends, social status, environmental consciousness, enjoying the processes, enjoying the foods, enjoying the environment, and experiencing new things. This study contributes to hospitality research by indicating how a niche market (Chinese female tourists) is motivated by a new sharing economy model (the “Pin” afternoon tea). Knowing these motivations may help the hospitality industry formulate appropriate strategies to speed tourism recovery.

Service robot acceptance: agenda for tourism and hospitality research

Purpose This study aims to provide insights and guidance for future research on service robot acceptance in the tourism and hospitality (T&H) domain through a comprehensive literature review. Design/methodology/approach A total of 249 journal articles, retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, were reviewed using an inductive analysis method. Findings Since its emergence in 2008, the topic of robot acceptance has gained significant attention, especially after 2019. The research assesses the current state of research, methodologies used, theoretical foundations and antecedents influencing acceptance. Five categories of antecedents affecting acceptance were systematically identified: robot design factors, individual/organisational factors, situational factors, appraisal factors and affective factors. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of service robot acceptance research. It offers insights and theoretical directions to advance research in the T&H domain.

A scoping review of robotic technology in hospitality and tourism

Purpose With the disruptive evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), the roles of robotics in hospitality and tourism are shifting rapidly from automatic to emotional works. Although academics have focused on examining robotic applications in hospitality and tourism, concrete images of the different roles of robots are unclear. Thus, this study aims to systematically aggregate and evaluate existing robotic technology-related studies published in Social Science Citation Index-listed hospitality and tourism journals to link the fragmented knowledge and provide an up-to-date overview of robotic technology in hospitality and tourism. Design/methodology/approach This study retrieved 134 robotic technology-related articles and used descriptive and content analyses to analyze the retrieved papers thoroughly. Findings The top keyword identified was service robot. Robotic technologies are categorized into AI-supplemented, AI-generated, robotic technology anthropomorphism (RTA)-facilitated and RTA-mediated. Research limitations/implications Future studies can consider exploring service robots further from the perspectives of suppliers in tourism. A more comprehensive categorization of robotic technologies is also recommended. Originality/value This study contributes to the robotic research realm by providing a holistic view of robotic applications in hospitality and tourism research. This study also attempts to pin down the potential research directions to guide researchers in expanding future studies.

Ethical leadership and pro-social behavior in the hospitality industry: Does social norms matter?

Ethical leadership (EL) plays a pivotal role in shaping organizational culture and influencing employees' behaviors, especially in service-oriented sectors like hospitality, where interpersonal interactions are fundamental. This study investigates the mediating role of social norms (SN) in the relationship between EL and pro-social behavior (PSB) within Saudi Arabian hospitality enterprises. This research posits that SN serve as a critical conduit through which EL affects PSB among employees. A quantitative approach using self-administered questionnaire, gathering data from Saudi Arabian hotel employees to measure perceptions of EL, SN, and PSB. Structural equation modeling using Smart-PLS was used to analyze the data and test the proposed mediation model. The findings indicate that EL significantly enhances PSB and SN. Furthermore, SN partially mediate the relationship between EL and PSB. These results underscore the importance of fostering a culture of EL to promote PSBs in the hospitality industry, thereby enhancing overall service quality and employee satisfaction. Several theoretical and practical implications have been discussed for hospitality managers and researchers.

Generative AI insights in tourism and hospitality: A comprehensive review and strategic research roadmap

This study used bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine how the tourism and hospitality industries use generative artificial intelligence (GAI), identifying developed patterns, theoretical frameworks, strengths and limitations, and future research challenges. We conducted a systematic review using the Scopus database, adhering to PRISMA principles. We analyzed a sample of 25 articles published between 2019 and 2023 through narrative synthesis and bibliometric analysis using the VOSviewer software, a tool for visualizing network analysis. The USA, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are the major countries engaged in GAI research in tourism and hospitality. Significant research topics emphasize decision-making, chatbots, deep learning, and sentiment analysis, mainly through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R), and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) frameworks. GAI applications demonstrate strength in improving user experience and operational efficiency, though gaps exist in scope, ethics, technology performance, and collaboration between humans and AI. This study, therefore, provides a fundamental foundation for understanding the current status of GAI research in tourism and hospitality by pointing out some trends and areas that require further investigation to ensure the responsible and effective integration of AI within the industry.

Advancements of virtual reality in tourism and hospitality research. A hybrid review using the TCCM framework

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore the advancements in VR research within tourism and hospitality industry using a hybrid review approach combining bibliometric analysis and TCCM framework. The study uncovers the past, present, and emerging research themes in the field, with most studies grounded in theoretical foundations (T); it presents eleven distinct contexts of VR applications (C); and indicates VR experiences mostly enhance behavioral intentions to visit (C); quantitative approaches, such as surveys and experiments are preferred over qualitative methods (M). Finally, this study proposes a conceptual model and nomological network, along with directions for future research through the TCCM perspective.

Green hotels visit intention among young adults: integrating the familiarity, novelty, trust, perceived risk, and theory of planned behaviour

Previous hospitality research typically focuses on consumers’ positive attitudes and intentions toward addressing an existing research gap in the literature on consumer attitude and behaviour in green hotel marketing. Those studies have frequently neglected to investigate the effects of negative attitudes and perspectives. This study aims to explore the relationships between seven indicators of perceived risk, familiarity, novelty, trust, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and intention to visit green hotels. A total of 606 questionnaires were collected and analysed using structural equation modelling. Results showed that perceived risk negatively influences trust, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Familiarity positively influences perceived risk but negatively influences attitude. Novelty negatively influences perceived risk and attitude, while trust positively influences attitude and intention. Subjective norm positively influences attitude, perceived behavioural control, and intention, and attitude influences intention. This study provides an alternative negative factor perspective on green hotel visitation using a theoretically driven approach.

Human–Robot interaction research in hospitality and tourism: trends and future directions

Purpose This paper aims to synthesize the evolving research of human–robot interaction (HRI) in the hospitality and tourism industry, identifying gaps and setting directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed-method approach, the study combines inductive co-citation analysis with deductive theory-context-characteristics-methodology analysis. Findings The findings trace the progression of HRI knowledge from initial feasibility and acceptance studies to advanced post-adoption experience management. The analysis identifies prevalent theories such as anthropomorphism theory, specific contexts like hotel environments, diverse robot types (e.g. embodied robots), outcome measures (e.g. use intention) and methodologies predominantly comprising survey-based analyses and experimental approaches. The analysis not only illuminates areas of research attention but also uncovers under-explored topics, offering a roadmap for future inquiry in tourism and HRI research. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature by providing a structured framework that not only maps the intellectual structure of HRI research in tourism but also proposes a cohesive integration of disparate theories and methodologies, addressing both practical and academic gaps.

The evolution and application of emotional solidarity theory in tourism behaviour research

ABSTRACT This manuscript critically examines the use and application of the emotional solidarity (ES) theoretical framework within tourism, hospitality, sports, and leisure research, highlighting the interdisciplinary utilisation of the theory from other fields to understand individuals’ behaviour. The current study addresses the challenges posed by the selection of ES, including the issues of behavioural indicators, theory time lag, theory stickiness, and the potential restrictions of literature reviews. Through this exploration, this study aims to advocate for a more inclusive and dynamic approach to theory application in tourism studies that respects the original discipline's paradigms while adapting to the evolving landscape research focusing on residents’ and tourists’ behaviour as it pertains to the inextricably linked relationship between the parties.

Drivers of social sustainability practices: quality management, human capital and innovation

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationships between quality management, human capital and innovation (both incremental and radical), and social sustainability practices in hospitality. Also considered are the mediating roles of human capital and innovation. Design/methodology/approach The study considers 365 hotels located in Spain, using a structural equation model based on Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis. Findings The findings show that quality management practices, human capital and incremental innovation all have a direct relationship with social sustainability practices. Human capital and incremental innovation partially mediate the relationship between quality management and social sustainability practices. Radical innovation has no impact on social sustainability practices and does not play a mediating role. Research limitations/implications This study enriches the literature on social sustainability in hospitality by showing that quality management, human capital and innovation can enhance social sustainability practices. It offers practical insights by understanding key drivers for promoting social sustainability in the hospitality sector. Originality/value Prior research in hospitality has not used a mediation model to empirically examine the aforementioned relationships.

Sustainability practices, sustainable development goals and the hospitality sector: perspectives from Sri Lankan chain hotels

ABSTRACT Despite being an industry at the forefront of adopting sustainable practices, there has been a continued paucity of hospitality research focusing on the extent of adoption of sustainability practices and their contribution towards achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) from developing countries’ viewpoints. Hence, this research explores the current context of sustainability practice adoption, its implications and its alignment with SDGs through a case study research based in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This research builds on the work of Mihalič and colleagues’ hotel sustainability business model to thematically explore the current context of sustainability practice adoption. This study employs a qualitative research method, combining semi-structured interviews and participant observations from 11 chain hotels selected through a purposive sampling approach. The research findings suggest that local hotels have already adopted various sustainability practices across all triple bottom-line considerations. However, most hoteliers did not understand how economic progression relates to their sustainability commitments. Moreover, several hoteliers interpreted sustainability efforts purely with pro-environmental efforts. The study further indicates that larger chain hotels tend to implement sustainable practices and align their operations with SDGs, whereas smaller chain hotels face significant challenges in adopting sustainability practices and SDG alignment due to a lack of resources and knowledge.

Modeling Multidimensionality in Hospitality and Tourism Research: Exploratory Higher-Order Factor Analysis

The hospitality and tourism discipline has been criticized for often taking a lackadaisical approach to the modeling of latent phenomena. Research on scale development has been found to lack transparency and/or to omit important methodological steps, thus calling into question the validity and reliability of the existing scales. To address these issues, there is a need for more research that emphasizes measurement issues and provides methodological guidance to hospitality scholars interested in scale development. Given the multidimensional nature of most phenomena and the complexity of human behavior, this study seeks to provide researchers, within and outside the field, with a guide to exploratory higher-order factor analyses. An empirical example of the recommended practices is provided using data collected from a sample of destination marketing organization (DMO) executives.

A research agenda for occupational safety, health, & well-being in hospitality & tourism management

With the exception of the most recent years following the global pandemic, hospitality and tourism-related research specifically examining worker safety, health, and well-being has not been a topic at the forefront in the discipline. Pre-pandemic studies investigating worker well-being frequently used dependent variables such as job satisfaction, turnover intention, and organizational commitment as proxies. The purpose of this research was to identify the gaps in occupational safety, health, and well-being priorities within the contemporary hospitality and tourism and adjacent literature. Utilizing a content analysis of 531 academic journal articles reduced from 4170 originally mined, 11,109 coded segments formed 9 clusters in which 3 overarching themes emerged. Based on the emergent themes, an interdisciplinary research framework adapted from Sorensen et al. (2016) and Peters et al. (2020) is proposed to improve the design and inclusion of occupational safety, health, and well-being constructs in future hospitality and tourism management research.

Penal heritage hotels as sites of conscience?: Exploring the use and management of penal heritage through adaptive reuse

Decommissioned penal buildings have become a nascent form of heritage hotels. However, they remain under-researched within tourism and hospitality research despite the growing literature concerning prison tourism. While current discourse remains conflicted over the use of penal heritage for tourist experiences, this research note applies adaptive reuse theory to explore the use and management of penal heritage for tourist accommodation. In doing so, this study responds to calls for further research into heritage hotels, and specifically penal heritage buildings used in non-museum functions. Site visits and interviews informed the study's findings, which revealed a range of influences for how penal heritage is used and managed through adaptive reuse, thereby demonstrating the potential of penal heritage hotels to serve as sites of conscience.

Exploring the affordances of service robots and the effects on frontline employees in China: a qualitative research in hotels

Purpose This study aims to investigate the affordances of service robots (SRs) in hotels and their effects on frontline employees (FLEs). Design/methodology/approach Purposive and referral samplings methods were used to conduct 28 semistructured interviews with hotel FLEs, and the transcribed manuscript was analyzed based on grounded theory. Findings The study identifies six dimensions of SR affordances: physical, sensory, task, safety, social and emotional affordances. The main effects of SR affordances on FLEs involve reducing work stress and mental fatigue and increasing positive emotions in the psychological aspects of FLEs. In terms of behavioral aspects, shifts in task priorities and enhancements in SR usage behaviors were observed. Accordingly, a mechanistic framework was revealed through which SR affordances influence FLEs via direct and indirect interactions between FLEs and SRs. Originality/value This paper expands robotics research from a supply-side perspective and is one of the few studies to investigate SR affordances in the field of hospitality research. Findings of this study provide practical guidelines for designing and implementing SRs to support hotel FLEs in their daily work.

Augmented reality technology in tourism and hospitality research: a review from 2010 to 2024

Purpose Augmented reality (AR) is revolutionizing the tourism and hospitality industry by offering immersive experiences as well as creating more engaging, informative and accessible travel experiences that attract tourists from around the globe. From virtual tours and immersive historical site recreations to navigation assistance and cultural education, AR technology is transforming the way we explore and interact with the destinations. This study aims to identify benefits, risks, tools and techniques of AR in the tourism and hospitality literature. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a systematic literature review to answer six research questions. The authors also identified 33 primary studies, dated from January 2010 to February 2024 and coded them via a thematic analysis. Related studies were obtained through searching in Web of Science and Scopus. Findings The results identified nine themes for benefits, eight themes for risks/disadvantages and four tools and applications-related themes. Through the thematic analysis, the major benefits of AR in the tourism and hospitality were found to be differentiated travel experiences, improved performance of tourism value chain, more effective marketing efforts of tourism businesses, enhanced tourists’ engagement, enhanced performance of tourism destinations, stimulated behavioral intentions, tourist empowerment and providing more value, interactivity and integrity. Furthermore, eight risks were identified: physical, privacy and security, social, service failure, technical, psychological, managerial, information and knowledge gaps. The authors also recognized four tools and applications-related themes, namely, AR-enabled tools, AR applications, AR-enabled apps and AR-based techniques. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review provides the first systematic exploration of the existing literature on usage of AR in the context of tourism and hospitality value chain.

Guest editorial: Wine and hospitality research: opportunities and challenges

Guest editorial: Wine and hospitality research: opportunities and challenges