Investigating the role of smart hotel technologies in enhancing guest experiences and sustainable tourism in Thailand

Abstract

We examine how contactless technology in Thailand's smart hotels influences guest satisfaction, word-of-mouth (WOM), and revisit intentions, with a focus on sustainable tourism in the deep south. Integrating the cognitive-affective-conative (CAC) model, technology acceptance model (TAM), and event system theory (EST), we examined the roles of experiential senses, intelligent operations, perceived usefulness, and social distance. Using purposive sampling, data from hotel guests were analyzed using structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that experiential senses, intelligent operations, and social distance significantly enhance satisfaction, which strongly predicts WOM and revisit intentions. Surprisingly, perceived ease of use had no effect. Event disruption, such as COVID-19, amplifies the impact of satisfaction on behavioral intentions. These findings highlight the potential of contactless technology to advance the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in tourism, offering practical insights for scholars, tourism marketers, hoteliers, and policymakers to foster sustainable, guest-centric hospitality.