Exploring the roles of smart services in Chinese senior tourists’ travel experiences: an application of psychological reactance theory

Abstract

The emergence of smart technology in tourism and hospitality captured the industry’s attention. Senior tourists’ encounters with smart services reveal how smart systems influence their travel experiences, tourism participation, and travel-related behaviour. A conceptual framework based on psychological reactance theory is developed in this paper. The factors of perceived threats to freedom when forced to use smart services, perceived constraints to using smart services, psychological reactance, attitudes towards smart services, intentions to use smart services, and intentions to switch from current service provider reflect Chinese senior tourists’ general aversion to using smart services while travelling and offer valuable managerial implications.