Service robots and COVID-19: exploring perceptions of prevention efficacy at hotels in generation Z

Purpose COVID-19 is expected to enhance hospitality robotization because frontline robots facilitate social distancing, lowering contagion risk. Investing in frontline robots emerges as a solution to recover customer trust and encourage demand. However, we ignore how customers perceive these initiatives and, therefore, their efficacy. Focusing on robot employment at hotels and on Generation Z customers, this study aims to analyze guests’ perceptions about robots’ COVID-19 prevention efficacy and their impact on booking intentions. Design/methodology/approach This study tests its hypotheses combining an experimental design methodology with partial least squares. Survey data from 711 Generation Z individuals in Spain were collected in 2 periods of time. Findings Generation Z customers consider that robots reduce contagion risk at hotels. Robot anthropomorphism increases perceived COVID-19 prevention efficacy, regardless of the context where the robots are used. Robots’ COVID-19 prevention efficacy provokes better attitudes and higher booking intentions. Research limitations/implications The sampling method used in this research impedes this study’s results generalization. Further research could replicate this study using random sampling methods to ensure representativeness, even for other generational cohorts. Practical implications Employing robots as a COVID-19 prevention measure can enhance demand, especially if robots are human-like. Hoteliers need to communicate that robots can reduce contagion risk, particularly in markets more affected by COVID-19. Robots must be employed in low social presence contexts. Governments could encourage robotization by financially supporting hotels and publicly acknowledging its benefits regarding COVID-19 prevention. Originality/value This study combines preventive health, robotics and hospitality literature to study robot implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on Generation Z guests – potential facilitators of robot diffusion.

What determines tourists’ adoption of hotel website for online hotel bookings?

The online purchase through web channels regarding travel related product services have really taken an unprecedented growth. The objectives of the study is to determine how information quality available on the websites of the hotels influence the intentions of customers of online bookings. Furthermore, the study also seeks to analyze how etrust as mediator influence the customer online booking intention.A simple random sampling technique used to collect the data with help of a questionnaire as the data collection tool to survey the customers in Delhi. The total valid sample size was 400. The framework and hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM empirically. The paper found significant and positive relation between information quality and online hotel booking intentions of users whereas the relation between source credibility and online hotel booking intentions found insignificant. In addition, etrust partially mediate between information quality and online booking intentions through hotel website and no mediation between source credibility and online hotel booking intentions.

Examining the impact of visual presentations and online reviews on hotel booking intentions

This study aims to examine the factors affecting the behavioural intentions toward online hotel booking. The study integrates visual presentations and online reviews with the technology acceptance model (TAM). Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses in this research. The results report that booking intentions are mainly determined by visual presentations and perceived usefulness. The statistical analysis supports the notion that visual presentations and online reviews have a positive impact on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. However, online reviews do not have any significant influence on booking intention directly. The study concludes that online consumers are more likely to book a hotel online if visual presentations and online reviews appear to be useful and easy to use. The findings contribute several implications for researchers and practitioners in the hospitality field.

The Effect of E-Servicescape, Website Trust and Perceived Value on Consumer Online Booking Intentions: The Moderating Role of Online Booking Experience

Nowadays, there has been a rapid growth in the number of online users, which only indicates that technology is becoming even more popular. Therefore, maintaining an effective website has become essential for businesses to gain a competitive advantage. Nevertheless, the understanding of e-servicescape attributes remains unclear, especially in the tourism and hospitality sector. Therefore, this study aims to explore how the e-servicescape of a third-party website affects consumers’ behavior by developing a research model. A structural equation model was utilized to test the conceptual model. The findings suggest that both aesthetic appeal and layout & functionality can affect website trust and perceived value. Financial security affects perceived value but does not affect website trust. Both website trust and perceived value can affect online booking intentions. Furthermore, high-experienced consumers tend to have higher website trust and perceived value than less-experienced ones. Our findings provide managers with new guidance on designing and developing effective third-party websites.

Travel booking intentions and information searching during COVID-19

PurposeThis exploratory paper examined consumers' use of information sources and intentions to book future travel in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors expected that general news and travel information accessed on the Internet would impact travel intentions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 547 US online consumer panelists when all states were under “stay-at-home orders” in April 2020.FindingsDifferences existed in the impact of three stressors (health, personal and financial) on the use of information sources (general news and travel sources) and ultimately on booking intentions.Practical implicationsThe lack of influence health stressors had on travel research activity raises a question for the travel industry as to critical choice of messages to be imparted during pandemic environments.Originality/valueA three-factor model was used to assess the determinants of booking intentions during uncertain times. Authors applied the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework to explore information searching for travel during the pandemic.

How old is your soul? Differences in the impact of eWOM on Generation X and millennials

PurposeOnline reviews have received research attention in recent years, as they work as precursors of consumer behaviors. Previous studies have suggested that the influence of online reviews may vary across generations. However, the previous literature has not analyzed yet whether millennials and Generation X react differently to online reviews. This study aims to shed light on this by analyzing whether the attitudes and behavioral intentions generated by online reviews are different for these two generational cohorts.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental procedure was designed to manipulate online review valence; data were collected from 351 respondents in two samples, Generation X and millennial participants.FindingsResults suggested that positive online reviews generate more positive customer attitudes and booking intentions than negative online reviews. In addition, Generation X vs millennials moderates the link among online review valence, attitudes and booking intentions. The resultant behaviors from online reviews are more intense among Generation X than for millennials.Practical implicationsManagers should be aware of online review valence and their customers' generational cohort, that is, whether they are millennials or Generation X, as they react differently to online reviews.Originality/valueThis research examines the moderating role of millennials and Generation X in the relationship between online reviews, consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions. The aim is to explain how millennial and Generation X consumers react to eWOM, that is, whether generational cohort mitigates or enhances the effects of positive vs negative online reviews on consumer reactions.

Emoticons are not for everyone: The role of congruence between hotel brand positioning strategies and communication style in enhancing customers’ brand attitude and booking intention

Social media has become an influential communication channel, and brands are increasingly using an informal style in their social media communication. Nonetheless, despite this development, little research has addressed the influence of social media communication style on brand perceptions. Hence, this study addresses the question on how the interaction of employing different communication styles and different hotel positioning strategies affects consumers’ perceptions and booking intentions in the hotel industry. Additionally, this study explores whether the fit between communication style and hotel positioning mediates the relationship on brand attitude and booking intention. A 2x2 between-subjects full-factorial design with 336 participants was conducted. Results of the experiment show that an informal communication style can be harmful for a utilitarian positioned hotel. A perception of fit between brand positioning and communication style leads to a more favorable brand attitude and higher booking intention. Despite the tendency for brands to increasingly use an informal style in their social media communication, only little research has analyzed the impact of communication style on consumer perceptions. Furthermore, considering a hotel’s positioning represents an important moderator in this relationship.