An empirical examination of guests' adoption of interactive mobile technologies in hotels : Revisiting cognitive absorption, playfulness, and security

Purpose – Interactive mobile technologies (IMT) offered to hotel guests during their stay represent an interesting development in consumer technologies in the hotel industry. Such technologies are designed to facilitate transactions and enhance the quality of guest experience. This research explains how hotel guests develop attitudes and intentions to use IMT in hotels. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Using data from students enrolled in a large hospitality program located in the Southwestern USA, the study validates a variant of the technology acceptance model, extended with constructs such as cognitive absorption and security that capture better the context of IMT in hotels. Findings – The conceptual model explained a large part of variability in intentions to use IMT. Among several predictors, cognitive absorption was the stronger predictor of attitudes. The analysis also revealed the dimensions of cognitive absorption as a second-order factor in the context of mobile commerce in the hotel industry. Research limitations/implications – This research offers a number of notable theoretical contributions. First, it provides an unique perspective on adoption of immersive technologies that enhance the experiential value of the hotel stay. Second, it revisits and validates the multidimensional construct of cognitive absorption. Finally, it ascertains the roles of cognitive absorption, playfulness, and security in the adoption of IMT. Practical implications – This research provides specific suggestions to integrate IMT in hotels based on system characteristics and users’ perceptions. Originality/value – To date, the research examining the immersive aspects of technology is scant. This research provides a novel platform for the systematic examination of the adoption of immersive technologies as they mediate the experiences in hotel service settings.