Role of recommendation sizes and travel involvement in evaluating travel destination recommendation services: comparison between artificial intelligence and travel experts

Purpose This study aims to understand how travelers evaluate travel destination recommendations received from either artificial intelligence (AI) or human travel experts (TEs) based on the size of recommendation and their travel involvement. Design/methodology/approach This study used a 2 (agent type: AI vs TE) × 2 (size of recommendation: small vs large) × 2 (travel involvement: low vs high) between-subjects design. Findings When AI recommends destinations, less-involved travelers perceive the recommendations as more credible and trust the system when AI offers larger recommendations than smaller ones. Meanwhile, when TEs offer recommendations, travelers consider the recommendations as equally credible and similarly trust the system, regardless of the recommendation size and travel involvement. Originality/value This study sheds light on the design of human-centered AI travel destination recommendation services.