We Need Digital Inquiries Before Arrival! Key Drivers of Hotel Customers’ Willingness to Pay Premium

ABSTRACTWhile prior research has examined various aspects of technology adoption, there is a limited focus on the specific dynamics of digital concierge services within the hospitality setting. Hence, the primary purpose of this paper is to examine the key drivers of willingness to pay for digital concierge services in Egyptian four-star hotels, with a particular emphasis on perceived value, usability, and the moderating effects of age and gender. Through a comprehensive survey of 624 potential customers and applying the Technology Acceptance Model, this paper repositions the concept of perceived usefulness as a central driver of user beliefs and intentions. Findings have implications for hotel managers, marketers, and industry professionals, offering guidance on enhancing user adoption and effectively communicating the advantages of digital concierge services to diverse customer segments. This research also sets the stage for future investigations into the evolving landscape of technology adoption within the hospitality industry.KEYWORDS: Digital inquiresconcierge appshotel customerstechnology acceptance modelwillingness to pay premium Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).CRediT author statementKareem M. Selem: Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, and Data Curation.Rimsha Khalid: Conceptualization, Writing-Original Draft, Investigation, and Resources.Mohsin Raza: Conceptualization, Investigation, Resources, and Visualization.Mohammad Shahidul Islam: Supervision, Writing-Reviewing and Editing, and Project administration.