{"title":"Impact of customer experience on attitude and utilization intention of a restaurant-menu curation chatbot service","authors":"Jiyoung Yoon, H. Yu","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0089","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this study is to assess the possibility of introducing a restaurant-menu curation (RMC) chatbot service to help consumers quickly and effectively decide on their restaurant or menu choices. To this end, it measures the characteristics of consumer chatbot experiences and analyzes their impact on future acceptance intentions through their attitudes toward the RMC chatbot service.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study consists of three parts: developing a RMC chatbot prototype, testing the chatbot prototype and a customer survey based on experience. A convenience sample method was used to collect data from 368 adults who tried the RMC chatbot service before answering a self-administered questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed structural model.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The results showed that all experience characteristics, except usable facets, had a significant positive impact on attitudes toward the chatbot. Three experience characteristics, “usable,” “usefulness” and “valuable,” revealed a significant positive effect on utilization intention. Attitudes toward chatbot services also significantly affected utilization intention.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000The results of this study can offer practical and academic implications for establishing curation services in the restaurant industry that can increase customer acceptance and utilization intentions. Follow-up studies are required to explore and verify the various personal and psychological factors related to the intention to accept RMC chatbot services.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study is meaningful because it makes it possible to evaluate the introduction of curation chatbot services in the restaurant sector, by developing and testing the dining-out curation service protocol to help customers’ smart choices in the information technology environment.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46896504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Consumer reactions to different robotic servers in theme parks","authors":"A. Milman, A. Tasci","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0102","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to understand the theme park visitors’ perceived robotic qualities featured in four different robots, assess their robotic functions and consumers’ loyalty toward four different robotic server types.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A structured online survey of 399 respondents measured and compared consumer perceptions related to qualities and functions of robots in a theme park context and consumers’ behavioral intentions in four different robotic scenarios – anime, cartoon-like, human-like and animal-like robots in theme parks. Survey data were collected on an online platform and analyzed by SPSS.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The results showed some expected differences in robotic qualities among the different robot-type scenarios, but similar reactions overall. The findings also provided insight into the type of robots that consumers prefer and showed a little more preference toward human-like robotic servers.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000The study was restricted to several robotic scenarios in North American theme parks. Future qualitative and quantitative studies should look in more detail at theme park visitors’ participation in the robotic service delivery process, the robots’ mobility and interactions with fellow visitors.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The findings can guide practitioners on robots’ looks, qualities and functionalities to consider for introducing to their patrons to create more interactive environments and experiences.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000The study revealed some new knowledge about consumer expectations for robotic servers in theme parks. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that compares different robot types on their perceived appearance, qualities and functionality, or consumers’ behavioral tendencies in the context of theme parks.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45499447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Guest editorial","authors":"Rab Nawaz Lodhi, Zahid Mahmood, Cihan Cobanoglu","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-01-2022-317","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-01-2022-317","url":null,"abstract":"Mura and Sharif (2017) conducted a systematic literature review and used a qualitative narrative analysis approach to identify all empirical and non-empirical evidence that fits the pre-specified inclusion criteria to answer a particular research question or questions or to test their proposition(s) about the hospitality and tourism industry. 2.2 Phenomenological research design in hospitality and tourism studies Phenomenological research explains the “common meaning” of a concept of a phenomenon coming from many individuals with their own lived experiences (Creswell and Poth, 2016). (2021) also used a phenomenological approach to conceptualize consumers’ lifestyles and hotel experience to develop a scale with which to measure these two critical aspects of the field of hospitality and the tourism industry. Wijesinghe (2009) described the possible applications of expressive phenomenological design in hospitality and tourism studies to gain the real-life experiences of different stakeholders in the discipline of hospitality and tourism. 2.3 Participatory action research design in hospitality and tourism studies In the qualitative paradigm, Participatory Action Research is a study design in which researchers and participants collaboratively conduct research to drive particular changes that improve existing practices. (2019) used Participatory Action Research in their empirical study that proposed a six-dimensional framework for implementing internal branding in the hospitality and tourism industry. 2.4 Ethnography/netnography research design in hospitality and tourism studies Ethnography is the study of shared patterns of the behaviors, beliefs and languages of an entire culture-sharing group (Creswell and Poth, 2016), whereas, netnography is a portmanteau of “internet” and “ethnography” and is online cultural research commonly done in social-media groups or the sites where people of a specific community or group share their views, experiences, etc.","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43560924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Viput Ongsakul, Tanveer Kajla, Sahil Raj, T. Khoa, Z. Ahmed
{"title":"Changing tourists’ preferences in the hotel industry amid COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Viput Ongsakul, Tanveer Kajla, Sahil Raj, T. Khoa, Z. Ahmed","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-07-2020-0179","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-07-2020-0179","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The paper aims to find the preferences of different tourist type. Since, COVID-19 pandemic has brought the international hospitality industry to a standstill, there are some early signs of recovery. For this industry’s long-term recovery, the tourists’ changing preferences need to be analyzed. Moreover, with different types of tourists, a more nuanced and in-depth study is required to analyze the preferences of each tourist type.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The research focuses on the changing preferences of the tourist by comparatively analyzing the pre-COVID-19 and current COVID-19 phase. The study extracted online data from TripAdvisor and identified themes by applying Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA).\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The study’s findings confirmed the change in preferences of the different types of tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic by performing thematic analysis. New themes emerged in the pandemic phase, providing more insights into tourists’ changing preferences in the current COVID-19 phase. The study also found that specific dominant themes in the pre-COVID-19 phase were replaced by new themes in the current COVID-19 phase.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to compare the pre-COVID-19 and current COVID-19 phase themes to decipher the new themes that managers of the hotels should consider to win back tourists’ confidence during the pandemic. The unraveling of changing preferences of the different tourist types in the current COVID-19 pandemic is the novel contribution of the study.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44373656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Facing the era of smartness: constructing a framework of required technology competencies for hospitality practitioners","authors":"Hsuan Hsu, K. Tseng","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-04-2021-0120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-04-2021-0120","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Concerning the emergence of Industry 4.0 and the concept of “smartness”, the technology competence of hospitality practitioners that was previously neglected and overlooked should be explored. Therefore, this study aims to explore previous hospitality technology competence through a literature review and then to extend, strengthen and build a new framework of the required technology competencies for hospitality practitioners in terms of facing smartness.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000To investigate the previous research on the characteristics of the required technology competencies for hospitality practitioners, this study carried out a systematic literature review (SLR) on works published from 2011 to 2020. Then, based on the SLR results, the required technology competencies for hospitality practitioners in terms of facing smartness was explored with 26 experts from the government, industry and academia. The data were analysed through thematic analysis based on the perspectives of task–technology fit, and then, the framework was constructed.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000This study reconfirmed that technology competence has been neglected in the previous hospitality competence literature and that the current methods and ways of thinking cannot succeed in this smart era. Moreover, based on fundamental technology competence, a new framework with ten dimensions of technology competencies required for hospitality practitioners in terms of facing smartness was created.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study identified the required technology competencies for hospitality practitioners, an area that has rarely been addressed in the previous literature. Moreover, specific competencies, especially those needed to face this smart era, are urgent and novel in the academic hospitality field.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47073418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
B. Sung, Michelle Stankovic, Sean Lee, Kevin Anderson
{"title":"Passive Wi-Fi visitor analytics and food truck engagement: a feasibility study","authors":"B. Sung, Michelle Stankovic, Sean Lee, Kevin Anderson","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-02-2021-0039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-02-2021-0039","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This paper aims to test whether passive Wi-Fi visitor analytics is a useful and effective method to measure consumer engagement towards food trucks located within an outdoor activation area at an Australian metropolitan university.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Using passive Wi-Fi visitor analytics to ping and track smart devices, data was collected over 90 weekdays capturing data from 522,548 unique smart devices.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The data collected in this feasibility study was able to identify the most and least popular food trucks by displaying the differences in both bounce and engagement rates, suggesting that passive Wi-Fi visitor analytics are feasible and useful in this context. Furthermore, the results also demonstrate that food truck vendors and marketers should not engage in random rotation, but instead remain static to try and increase familiarity.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000Current visitor tracking technology (i.e. ticketed sales, sales data and survey) is limited as it may not provide an accurate measurement of foot traffic, identify engaged patrons who passed by but did not complete a purchase and be available due to commercial sensitivity and confidentiality. Thus, the current research is the first to examine customer engagement (i.e. unengaged walk-by vs engaged but bounced vs engaged sales) with food trucks within an activation area by using passive Wi-Fi visitor analytics.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42235503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wilson K. S. Leung, M. Cheung, M. Chang, Si Shi, Sincere Tse, Lenny Yusrini
{"title":"The role of virtual reality interactivity in building tourists’ memorable experiences and post-adoption intentions in the COVID-19 era","authors":"Wilson K. S. Leung, M. Cheung, M. Chang, Si Shi, Sincere Tse, Lenny Yusrini","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0088","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to examine the impact of virtual reality (VR) interactivity elements, including synchronicity, two-way communication and active control, on tourists’ VR memorable experiences, and the subsequent effect on tourists’ word-of-mouth (WOM) and VR continuance intention.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The research model was tested using self-administrated survey data from 285 Chinese tourists who were experienced in travel and VR tourism activities. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling was adopted to perform latent variable analysis.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000VR interactivity elements, including synchronicity, two-way communication and active control, play a considerable role in driving tourists’ VR memorable experiences, which in turn drive tourists’ WOM and VR continuance intention.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000Cross-sectional, single country data was used and thus the generalisability of the findings may be limited. Future research is recommended adopting a longitudinal approach to compare the relationship between constructs in countries with diverse cultures.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The findings provide guidance for tourism marketers to use the interactive features of VR, including synchronicity, two-way communication and active control, to drive tourists’ memorable experiences and thereby strengthen tourists’ referral and continuance intention.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000Scholarly attention on the importance of VR interactivity in driving tourists’ memorable experiences and behavioural intention is limited. This study contributes to the tourism marketing literature by empirically testing the research model to reveal the importance of VR interactivity elements, including synchronicity, two-way communication and active control, to drive tourists’ VR memorable experiences and behavioural intentions.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46466147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The mediation effect of marketing activities toward augmented reality: the perspective of extended customer experience","authors":"Shih‐Chih Chen, Tung-Hsiang Chou, Tanaporn Hongsuchon, Athapol Ruangkanjanases, Santhaya Kittikowit, Tse-Ching Lee","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0093","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000In this era of smartphone applications, brands are actively developing applications to occupy the consumer’s mobile phone space, adding many practical functions to their applications to increase brand exposure or consumer interest in the brand. Augmented reality (AR) has evolved rapidly in the past decade because of technological breakthroughs, making AR no longer an untouchable technology, but one that can be easily used on almost every phone. Therefore, this study aims to combine extended customer experience with AR marketing activities to explain and predict usage and purchase intention.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The eight key factors integrated into the extended customer experience are used as environmental stimulation factors, and Wanna Kicks and FitGlasses are used as experimental environments. A total of 193 valid samples were collected from users with AR experience. The empirical data is processed and verified by partial least squares in this study.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Customer experience has received increasing attention in the field of marketing research. This study developed a model to evaluate the antecedents and consequences of AR marketing activities by systematically adding customer experience, continuance intention, purchase intention and customer engagement, and then linking them to the AR application environment. This study presents the academic and practical implications, which can provide future research directions and references for brand marketing strategies and AR applications.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study adds interactivity, vividness, perceived usefulness and novelty to the extended concept of customer experience. Therefore, the authors proposed that the extended customer experience can be used to measure the perceptions related to AR applications. This study is expected to provide scholars and practitioners in AR fields with a better understanding of the causes and consequences of customer experience with innovative technologies and to suggest effective marketing recommendations.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46743901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Learning effectiveness of 3D virtual reality in hospitality training: a situated cognitive perspective","authors":"T. Lui, L. Goel","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0091","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Training is one of the key dimensions of internal marketing. Virtual reality (VR), a computer technology that replicates an environment (real or imagined) and simulates a user’s physical presence in that environment to allow for user interaction, offers unique opportunities from a training perspective, such as allowing users to improve their skills without the consequence of failing real customers or the need to be in the real environment physically. This study aims to focus on comparing the effectiveness of VR hospitality training with that of real-world hospitality training.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study adopts situated cognition theory to empirically test the effect of the awareness of contextual variables (social interaction, location and task) on learning and compare learning outcomes between tourism training in VR and real-world experimental settings.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Results indicate that location and task awareness enhance cognitive absorption, but social awareness does not influence cognitive absorption. There is no significant difference between training in real-world and VR environments. Finally, cognitive absorption has a positive effect on mental model change (the learning outcome).\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This result advances the theoretical understanding on the significance of learning context by applying situated cognition theory in hospitality training and has significant implications for training that aims for rigor and efficiency within cost, location and time constraints.\u0000","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43344053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Is virtual reality technology an effective tool for tourism destination marketing? A flow perspective","authors":"H. Chang, Chin Chung Chiang","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-03-2021-0076","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose\u0000This study aims to investigate the effect of virtual reality (VR) as a communication tool for advertising on tourism destination image and the changes in destination attitude, clarifying how flow experience affects destination image, and examining how destination image mediates the effect of flow experience on attitude changes.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A survey was administered to collect data from 342 study participants who watched a tourism destination marketing video through HTC VR vive gear. A research model tested data collected from participants using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling by using partial least squares structural equation modeling software.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The results found that two factors (friendliness and telepresence) of flow experience in VR can positively affect destination image. Destination image has a significant indirect effect on how flow experience influences attitude change.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000As tourism destinations are faced with strategic decisions about investment in different VR platforms or some other technologies, understanding how individuals respond to various VR stimuli is of practical importance. Therefore, this study’s findings provide valuable information for tourism industry practitioners.","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2022-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48529168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}