Digitalisation challenges in grassroots tourism: Contextualising Innovation Resistance Theory for informal homestays in Bangladesh

Abstract

The global tourism sector is changing rapidly due to digitalisation, but the adoption of technology in this sector is inconsistent. In Bangladesh, a significant percentage of the tourism sector consists of informal homestays operating within the grassroots level, many of which resist adopting digital tools. This research utilises Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT) as a lens for understanding the drivers behind this resistance. A total of 220 homestay operators were selected to collect data through purposive sampling. Data were subsequently analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with SPSS version 25 and AMOS version 26. Findings indicate that tradition barriers, value barriers, risk barriers and usage barriers have a statistically significant and positive impact on resistance to adopting technology by informal homestays. However, the image barriers, in contrast, appear statistically insignificant. This study’s focus on the unique, under-researched informal tourism domain has theoretically advanced the IRT framework and challenged the conventional consumer-centric IRT model. The findings highlight the importance of guiding homestay operators to adopt context-specific strategies by policymakers, technology developers, and tourism stakeholders, which could minimise these barriers, facilitating an inclusive form of digital transformation that respects local norms and maintains development in the grassroots informal tourism sector of Bangladesh.