Abstract Book of the 6th International Conference on Tourism Management and Hospitality
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Barriers to AI Chatbot Adoption for Accommodation Booking: An Exploratory Study
Dr. Ana Machado, Lurdes Calisto, Zélia Raposo Santos, Miguel Belo
ABSTRACT:
The adoption of AI-driven chatbots for accommodation booking is constrained by factors such as user distrust, which may stem from concerns about privacy and data security and a lack of familiarity with the technology. Despite these constraints, AI chatbots can improve effectiveness and customer service. Understanding the barriers to adoption is crucial for tackling issues that hinder user acceptance. This study seeks to identify the principal obstacles preventing travellers from utilising AI chatbots to book accommodation. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to extract and categorise barriers identified in previous research, mainly focusing on technological and psychological factors. Building upon these outcomes, an exploratory, descriptive survey will be conducted to address the identified constraints. Using clustering techniques, the study will segment respondents into distinct groups based on the venturesomeness scale, which measures traveller personality traits (Cruz-Milán, 2018; Plog, 1995). This methodological approach will facilitate a more subtle comprehension of chatbot adoption challenges across diverse user profiles. The results will provide useful information for technology developers and hospitality service providers by recognising user concerns in AI systems, thereby supporting targeted efforts to develop more user-friendly AI chatbots and address specific adoption barriers. Identifying clusters contributes to the broader discourse on AI implementation within the hospitality sector, offering perspectives on tourist segmentation and personalised approaches to technology adoption.
Keywords: AI chatbots, accommodation booking, adoption barriers, segmentation, hospitality industry