GenAI in Hospitality Sector Study 2026 - LNU - Group 04

This study explores how consumers experience generative AI in the hospitality sector. The main research question examines how these experiences affect trust and simultaneously identifies the key factors influencing consumer perceptions. A qualitative research design was applied, based on 12 semi-structured interviews with participants who had prior experience using AI tools in hospitality contexts. This included experiences such as travel planning, hotel booking, and in-service interactions. This approach ensured researchers could gain an in-depth understanding of how consumers perceive and evaluate AI-supported services. The findings show that trust in Gen AI is mostly dynamic and experience-based. Initially, trust is formed through how efficiently and conveniently the AI is perceived to be, and the AI's ability to reduce information overload. However, trust decreases when users encounter inaccurate, outdated, or overly generic information, or when AI fails to capture the emotional and human aspects of hospitality experiences. Overall, the results indicate the emergence of a hybrid trust model, in which consumers rely on efficiency and initial decision-making, but continue to rely on human interaction and traditional information sources to double-check. This suggests that while Gen AI plays a crucial supporting role, it has yet to replace the need for human-centred service in hospitality.本研究旨在探讨消费者在酒店业领域对生成式AI（Generative AI）的体验。核心研究问题聚焦于此类体验如何影响信任，并同时识别影响消费者感知的关键因素。 本研究采用质性研究设计，招募了12名曾在酒店场景中使用过AI工具的参与者开展半结构化访谈。参与者的AI使用场景涵盖旅行规划、酒店预订以及服务过程中的人机交互等。该研究设计确保研究者能够深入理解消费者如何感知与评估AI赋能的服务。 研究结果表明，消费者对生成式AI的信任整体呈现动态化与体验依赖的特征。初始信任的建立源于消费者感知到的AI运行效率与便捷性，以及其缓解信息过载的能力。但当用户遭遇不准确、过时或过于泛化的信息，或AI无法捕捉酒店服务中的情感与人文属性时，信任度便会下降。总体而言，研究结果揭示了一种混合信任模型的形成：消费者既会依托AI的效率开展初步决策，同时仍会借助人际交互与传统信息源进行复核验证。这意味着，尽管生成式AI可发挥关键的支撑作用，但目前仍无法取代酒店业中以人文为核心的服务需求。