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Robotics in Tourism and Hospitality

In: Handbook of e-Tourism

Author

Listed:
  • Stanislav Ivanov

    (Varna University of Management)

  • Craig Webster

    (Ball State University)

  • Katerina Berezina

    (University of Mississippi)

Abstract

This chapter provides a comprehensive review of robotics in tourism and hospitality, including the technical foundations of robotics, synthesis of academic literature, and current and potential applications. Robots may be defined as programmable, intelligent devices, with a certain degree of autonomy, mobility, and sensory capabilities, designed to perform a certain task. Distinguishing between industrial and service robots, the chapter focuses on the category of service robots that perform useful tasks for humans in the tourism and hospitality industry. The chapter begins with the review of relevant studies and addresses both engineering and social sciences perspectives. The latter is evaluated deeper by looking at conceptual and empirical research. The chapter presents applications of robots across different segments of the tourism and hospitality industry, including hotels (e.g., front desk agents, concierges, delivery robots, porters, and housekeepers), restaurants (e.g., cook assistants, hosts, wait staff, food runners, bartenders, and robots delivering food), events (e.g., guest entertainment and physical presence for virtual attendees), attractions (e.g., museums), and travel (e.g., airports, autonomous vehicles). This book chapter investigates the issues related to robot adoption by tourism and hospitality companies from two perspectives: the supply- and the demand-side. From the supply-side perspective, the chapter evaluates the economics of robotics in tourism and hospitality, presents analysis of financial and non-financial costs and benefits, discusses employee resistance towards robotic labor, and outlines considerations for designing robot-friendly facilities. From a demand-side perspective, the chapter elaborates on customer attitudes towards the use of robots by tourism and hospitality companies, human-robot interaction, and customer willingness to pay for robot-delivered services. The chapter concludes by looking at future opportunities for robotization and research directions.

Suggested Citation

  • Stanislav Ivanov & Craig Webster & Katerina Berezina, 2022. "Robotics in Tourism and Hospitality," Springer Books, in: Zheng Xiang & Matthias Fuchs & Ulrike Gretzel & Wolfram Höpken (ed.), Handbook of e-Tourism, chapter 78, pages 1873-1899, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-030-48652-5_112
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-48652-5_112
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