Tourists’ Willingness to Use AI-Enabled Chatbots : Extending the Technology Acceptance Model

Authors

  •   Sanjana Sobhan Lecturer, Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi - 6205 ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8195-6236
  •   Oaisharia Vocto Oishi MBA Research Student, Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Dhaka, Dhaka - 1000 ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3067-8000
  •   Md. Manower Hossain Former Research Student, Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Dhaka, Dhaka - 1000
  •   Mousumi Sultana Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, Varendra University, Rajshahi - 6204 ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3613-898X
  •   Md. Julhaz Hossain Assistant Professor (Corresponding Author), Institute of Business Administration, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi - 6205 ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2743-5066

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2026/v56/i3/175245

Keywords:

AI-enabled chatbots, perceived intelligence, willingness to use chatbots, tourism and hospitality services, Bangladesh.
JEL Classification Codes : L83, M31, O33
Publishing Chronology: Paper Submission Date : August 5, 2025 ; Paper sent back for Revision : February 5, 2026 ; Paper Acceptance Date : February 25, 2026 ; Paper Published Online : March 15, 2026

Abstract

Purpose : Grounded on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study aimed to investigate the determinants that affected tourists’ willingness to use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled chatbots for tourism and hospitality services in Bangladesh.

Methodology : A quantitative online survey was employed to collect data using a purposive sampling technique from 470 Bangladeshi tourists who had experience with AI-based chatbot services. The partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to estimate the obtained data and test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings : The findings revealed that chatbots’ perceived intelligence, ease of use, and usefulness significantly impacted tourists’ attitudes toward chatbot use ; whereas, perceived interactivity did not have a substantial effect. Furthermore, perceived ease of use significantly influenced perceived usefulness, and tourists’ attitudes had a noteworthy effect on their willingness to use chatbots. In addition, attitude toward chatbot use successfully mediated the relationship between perceived intelligence and willingness to use chatbots and perceived ease of use and willingness to use chatbots; however, it was unable to mediate the relationship between perceived interactivity and willingness to use chatbots.

Practical Implications : This study left noteworthy implications for adopting AI-based chatbots within the tourism and hospitality domain, benefiting policymakers, scholars, tourism enterprises, tourists, and other stakeholders.

Originality : The novelty of the study lies in the interplay of proposed relationships among key constructs, employing the TAM, to examine tourists’ willingness to use AI-enabled chatbots in a new direction.

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Published

2026-03-15

How to Cite

Sobhan, S., Oishi, O. V., Hossain, M. M., Sultana, M., & Hossain, M. J. (2026). Tourists’ Willingness to Use AI-Enabled Chatbots : Extending the Technology Acceptance Model. Indian Journal of Marketing, 56(3), 65–85. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2026/v56/i3/175245

Issue

Volume 56, Issue 3, March 2026

Section

Articles
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