Intelligent automation for tomorrow's tourism

In light of the trend in integrating artificial intelligence and robotics into tourism and hospitality operations, it is important to understand consumer responses to hotel service robots. Two studies were conducted to achieve this objective: an online survey and a laboratory experiment using measurements of automatic emotional reactions via biosensors. Responses to two types of robots, NAO for check-in and Relay for room delivery, were tested. Study 1 demonstrates that consumer intention to adopt hotel service robots is influenced by human-robot interaction dimensions of anthropomorphism, perceived intelligence, and perceived security. Differences were found between NAO and Relay: NAO?s adoption depends on anthropomorphism and perceived security, while Relay?s on perceived intelligence and importance of service operation in hotel experiences. Study 2 revealed support for the importance of anthropomorphism and perceived security in NAO, as reflected in Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) peaks during sequences of interactions and fixation on NAO?s face. Support for perceived intelligence in Relay was also identified. Implications for the hospitality industry are provided.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The Perceived Social Roles of Mobile Phones in Travel

This study aims at measuring tourists’ perception towards the social characteristics of mobile devices and how they may lead to the perceived social role of mobile phones while traveling. Informed by social role theory and computing technology continuum of perspective (CP) model, the hypothesized relationships between mobile computing CP, respondents’ psychological traits, frequency of mobile phone use for travel, and perceived social role of mobile phones during traveling were tested. The results demonstrate that perceived intelligence and socialness of mobile phones prompt tourists to respond socially to mobile computing technology, thus emphasizing the importance of anthropomorphism in the designing of mobile technology for travel. As a managerial implication, smart mobile applications suggesting the roles of mobile devices as personal travel companions and/or assistants should be developed to increase the persuasive power of mobile phones for tourists

Hotels vs. Peer-to-Peer Accommodation Rentals: Text Analytics of Consumer Reviews in Portland, Oregon

Iis P. Tussyadiah is an associate clinical professor with the School of Hospitality Business Management in the Carson College of Business at Washington State University Vancouver. Her research interests lie in the intersection of information and communication technologies and tourism experience. Florian Zach is the Tod and Maxine McClaskey faculty fellow and assistant clinical professor with the School of Hospitality Business Management in the Carson College of Business at Washington State University Vancouver. His research interests are innovation, tourism development and network analysis.Oral Presentatio

Tourists\u27 Transformation Experience: From Destination Architecture to Identity Formation

Today’s tourists seek unique destinations that could associate with their self identity in a profound way. It is meaningful for destinations to design unique physical elements that offer transformational travel experiences. This study aims at identifying how tourists encounter architecture in a destination and if architecture facilitates tourists’ self transformation. Based on narrative structure analysis by deconstruction of travel blog posts, the results suggest that tourists perceive architectural landscape as an important feature that reflects destinations’ identity. Four different interaction modes— gazing, touring, reading and pondering are identified. Conversational architectural design is suggested for destinations to create a unique experience

Textual and Visual Information in Ewom: A Gap between Information Search and Diffusion

n an attempt to better understand the important role of visual information in eWOM, this paper aims to examine the gap between travel-related information search and diffusion by online users. Descriptive analysis is used to examine the types of information combination that are perceived as powerful and influential by potential travelers and contributed by experience travelers. Several t-tests and one-way A OVA are also conducted to investigate various differences (e.g., individual preference for information combination, information combination selection for each of eWOM diffusion venues). The survey result finds that, as people rely more on Internet information for their future travel, potential travelers perceive information with textual and visual information (i.e., photos and videos) in conjunction more powerful and influential for their travel motivation formation than text-only information. On the other hand, while text and photo combined information ranks still high in their information contribution, substantial rate of experienced travelers tends to contribute text-only information as well. The reasons for this gap and individual differences behind their information choices are examined. Some managerial suggestions for each eWOM diffusion venue are also suggested

The Impact of Self-Presentation Strategies and Social Support on Tourist Experience

The purpose of this study is to provide an understanding of how tourists’ self-presentation is managed on Social Networking Sites (SNS). Specifically, the study investigated the effects of SNS use on social support and tourism experience and the moderating role of the different tourists’ self-presentation strategies. The results emphasize the importance of SNS use for tourists to seek support from their social network while traveling. The study clarifies the importance of SNS use for tourism experience, in that the more engaged tourists are in social interaction facilitated with SNS while traveling, the more likely they are to have a positive tourism experience. Also, it is argued that social support does not always directly result from the intense SNS use, but rather moderated by tourists’ self-presentation strategies

Sustainable development in nature-based destinations. The social dilemma of an environmental policy

Drawing on value-belief-norm theory and the perspective-taking approach, this paper aims to explain the attitude-behaviour dilemma facing the implementation a pro- environmental action in a nature-based tourist destination. This research seeks to provide a better understanding of the patterns behind a behaviour intention, by focusing on value orientations and awareness of the adverse environmental conse- quences. Based on a specific pro-environmental policy to foster tourism in the Gili Islands, Indonesia, participants were randomly exposed to three scenarios that might affect their behaviour intention with the destination. The findings revealed that dif- ferences can be found in their environmental concern and awareness of adverse environmental consequences as well as in their behaviour intentions subsequent to exposure to different scenarios. The study contributes to the extant literature on identifying cognitive and affective mechanisms that affect behaviour intentions and provides relevant insights for governments and Destination Marketing Organisations to promote a tourist destination implementing a pro-environmental action for a sus- tainable tourism

Exploring the Persuasive Power of Virtual Reality Imagery for Destination Marketing

This study investigates the persuasive power of virtual reality (VR) imagery for destination marketing by assessing the roles of spatial presence in influencing attitude and behavior toward tourism destinations. Based on interviews with 23 participants involving the use of Google Cardboard VR viewer, this study extracted users’ experience from the conceptual lenses of spatial presence and transportation theories. It was identified that users felt varying levels of spatial presence during the experience, while all recalled moments of arrival and departure (i.e., being transported) as well as moments that generate stronger sense of being there. Further, factors that support and distract users from being fully immersed in the virtual environment were identified, which include consistency, representation, social experience, and continuity. These resulted in different user perception on the persuasiveness of VR experience. Marketing and design implications are provided

MARKETING DESTINATION THROUGH FIRST-PERSON STORIES: A NARRATIVE STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

Narrative as digital word of mouth has the potential to be an effective way to market tourist destinations. Using ethnomethodology, this study identifies key marketing elements from narratives which include characterization, space categorization, and overall product and experience evaluation. The introduction of a blog writer as a personal character allows blog readers to access the picture of lived identities created through actions, attitudes, and values. Space categorization allows blog readers to have a cognitive construction of hypothetical travel scenarios including “rehearsals” of likely future travels. The results of this study demonstrate substantial potential for destination marketing organizations to facilitate and manage the interactive nature of storytelling as part of travel recommendation systems