What motivates chatbot use among tourists? A mixed-methods comparison of expert and user opinion

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify the most suitable type of chatbot for use in the hotel industry: task-oriented vs. hedonic. To fulfil this aim, the motivations that are likely to generate more widespread use of chatbots in tourism services are analysed from the dual viewpoint of potential users and chatbot experts, to yield a complete picture of the preferences of the different agents in the sector. The former public helps identify those motivations that relate to current chatbot use, while the latter also enables motivations relating to possible future use to be anticipated. First, in-depth interviews are conducted with (i) potential users of hotel chatbots and (ii) chatbot experts (both academic and professional) to validate a series of motivations for chatbot use. An fs/QCA analysis is then conducted to identify the necessary conditions that a chatbot must fulfil, from the perspective of 29 potential users and 21 experts. The results suggest that there is a clear preference for task-oriented chatbots among users (short-term perspective), while the experts adopt a longer-term outlook focusing more on the entertainment and novelty value that chatbots can deliver. From the results, it can be concluded that, while experts regard many of the recurring problems of chatbots in tourism as having been overcome, tourists still demand that chatbots meet requirements such as productivity and convenience, pointing to areas that require further attention from the industry.