Traveler Attitudes Toward Biometric Data-Enabled Hotel Services: Can Risk Education Play a Role?

Abstract

This study compares attitudes toward the use of biometrics data-enabled services in hotels of prospective travelers before and after receiving information about the risks and benefits of disclosing biometric data and about how the disclosed data are being utilized. This was done based on a sample of 579 U.S. respondents, using a split-plot scenario-based experimental design. The results revealed that the respondents did not show enthusiastic support for biometrics-based hotel services. Most sampled respondents did not view such services as highly desirable or as having a positive influence on their sense of well-being. Significant demographic differences were observed between prospective travelers. Females and older respondents in particular provided significantly lower ratings of biometric-enabled services on both desirability and effects on well-being. Significant changes in respondents’ ratings were also observed when information was given about the risks and benefits of disclosing biometric data and how the disclosed data were being utilized. That is, respondents’ ratings were lower when information was given about the risks and for scenarios where the data were utilized in ways that increased risk. Overall, these results are consistent with rational choice theory and demonstrate a strong risk-education effect or information-nudge effect on consumer acceptance of commercial use in hotels of artificial intelligence technology. The study outcomes also provide insight for developing potential guardrails and parameters for designing intelligent hospitality services.