Envisioning the future of technology integration for accessible hospitality and tourism

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine a topic of growing significance to hospitality and tourism scholars and practitioners – how emerging technologies can fulfill accessible hospitality and tourism services for people with disabilities. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review of the literature based on the Web of Science database and qualitative research were conducted. Specifically, bibliometric analysis and thematic analyzes of expert interviews were used. The obtained views from experts in the field further validated and enriched the obtained findings. Findings The primary topics of exploration in existing literature were identified, such as social networks and data-empowered services. The potential areas of further advances are also revealed such as the need for cross-country collaborations and potential gaps between scholarly and practitioner interest in the topic. Research limitations/implications This research is limited by the scope of adopted search keywords and databases. Practical implications This study offers vital practical implications for the future integration of emerging technologies to fulfill accessible hospitality and tourism. It also demonstrates the pressing need for more interconnected global collaborations for this important initiative. Social implications This study emphasizes how the hospitality and tourism industry could better leverage technological power to empower people with disabilities. It also points out the importance of an inclusive process for technology implementation for accessible hospitality and tourism services to fully represent the interests of disabled customers (including the consideration of their different backgrounds). Originality/value This study sheds light on the future research directions of technological empowerment of accessible hospitality/tourism. It also makes methodological contributions by demonstrating what bibliometric analysis has to offer to relevant fields of studies. The solicited views of experts in the field from different countries on the topic further add to the depth and value of the findings while demonstrating the combination of these two approaches as a promising mixed-methods route to produce richer and more robust findings.