Digital Innovation in the Tourism Industry. How Robotics affects Travel, Tourism and Hospitality

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the impact of digital innovation in the tourism industry and the role of robotics – in particular, the so-called ‘professional service robots’ – in the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality sectors (TTH). The research starts with a general background on Industry 4.0 along with its implications on the tourism industry and introduces an overview of digitalization in the international context, by briefly illustrating the evolution from traditional tourism to digital tourism; the concept of ‘Smart Tourism’ is introduced. It continues with a theoretical framework about artificial intelligence, robotics and automation and their current and potential functions in smart cities, also considering their major implications on the workplace. Further, the research deals with a broad taxonomy of robots and with the adoption trends of both industrial robots and service robots. The third chapter involves an analysis of the current adoption of professional service robots in the contexts of travel, tourism, and hospitality. It shows how their diffusion impacts different areas of tourism, in particular those related to accommodation, restaurants, airports, events and themed and amusement parks. The paper finally discusses the acceptance and perceptions of tourists about the employment of robots in the service sector. A particular case study on the Henn na Hotel in Japan has been chosen to conduct an analysis with the purpose of observing the impact of robotics on the specific hospitality industry, highlighting both the major benefits and challenges.