EXPRESS: Travelers with disabilities: How online information search reduces uncertainty about service accessibility in hospitality and tourism

Abstract

Despite the significant number of travelers with disabilities and their substantial contribution to the tourism and hospitality industry, there has been a lack of research exploring the necessary services required by travelers with disabilities during their travels. Therefore, this study aims to identify accessibility issues encountered by travelers with disabilities during their travels and to examine the impact of these issues on their behavior in reducing uncertainty within the online travel community. To achieve the research objectives, the present study performed an integrated approach that combines text analytics and robust regression analysis. The findings of this study provide guidelines for tourism and hospitality management to reduce the perceived uncertainty experienced by travelers with disabilities, thereby promoting the accessibility of tourism and hospitality services.