Adoption of AI Chatbots in Travel and Tourism Services

AI chatbots are possessing significant importance due to the advent of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence. They are used in many industries to interact with customers, respond to frequently asked inquiries, and carry out specific duties for which they were designed. More AI enabled chatbots are being used in the tourism industry to provide better customer service to the travellers. In the literature review, researches relating to adoption of AI chatbots in tourism are scarce. The paper extends the UTAUT2 model and examines the aspects that impact consumer adoption of AI chatbots in the travel and tourism segment. We used a quantitative research approach and the data was collected through online surveys. A total of 466 responses were collected from frequent travellers. Partial least square approach was utilized to do the data analysis. The emanating outcome of this research study divulge the aspects of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, habit, personal innovativeness, and awareness of chatbot service optimistically influenced the behavioural intention to make use of AI chatbots for tourism services. Awareness of service also indirectly influenced intention to use through performance and effort expectancies. This paper offers unique insights for executives, practitioners, and employees at managerial level in the tourism sector, along with system designers and creators of AI chatbot technologies.