Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

What Should Robots Do? A Comparative Analysis of Industry Professionals, Educators and Tourists

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2019

Abstract

While robots have been used extensively for many years in manufacturing, many robots are fairly new arrivals in tourism-related industries. This paper delves into how the general public and stakeholders in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries view the incorporation of robots into tourism-related industries. Based upon a sample of over 1,000 respondents to an international online survey, it analyses which tasks are deemed as most appropriate for being delegated to a robot. In addition, it segments the respondents to determine whether the professions of those responding view the delegation of tasks to robots differently. The results indicate that in general, the occupation of respondents did not seem to play a significant role in perceptions of which tasks are most appropriate for robots in tourism-related industries, although respondents employed in robotics seem to be more receptive towards robots, while tourism educators – more pessimistic.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. NPR (2011) Science Diction: The Origin of the Word ‘Robot’. https://www.npr.org/2011/04/22/135634400/science-diction-the-origin-of-the-word-robot. Accessed 12 Jan 2018

  2. International Federation of Robotics (2012) History of Industrial Robots. Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20121224213437/http://www.ifr.org/uploads/media/History_of_Industrial_Robots_online_brochure_by_IFR_2012.pdf. Accessed 11 Feb 2018

  3. Agah A, Cabibihan JJ, Howard A, Salichs MA, He H (eds) (2016) Social robotics. In: Proceedings of the 8th International conference, ICSR 2016, Kansas City, MO, USA, November 1–3, 2016. vol 9979. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47437-3

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ferreira MIA, Sequeira JS, Tokhi MO, Kadar E, Virk GS (eds) (2017) A world with robots. In: International conference on robot ethics: ICRE 2015 vol 84. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46667-5

    Google Scholar 

  5. Wirtz J, Patterson P, Kunz W, Gruber T, Lu VN, Paluch S, Martins A (2018) Brave new world: service robots in the frontline. J Serv Manag 29(5) (in press). https://doi.org/10.1108/josm-04-2018-0119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Robotics Industries Association (2017) The History of Robotics in the Automotive Industry. https://www.robotics.org/blog-article.cfm/The-History-of-Robotics-in-the-Automotive-Industry/24. Accessed 12 Sep 2018

  7. Ivanov S, Webster C, Berezina K (2017) Adoption of robots and service automation by tourism and hospitality companies. Revista Turismo Desenvolv 27(28):1501–1517

    Google Scholar 

  8. Acosta L, González E, Rodríguez JN, Hamilton AF (2006) Design and implementation of a service robot for a restaurant. Int J Robot Autom 21(4):273–280. https://doi.org/10.2316/Journal.206.2006.4.206-2909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Huang GS, Lu YJ (2017) To build a smart unmanned restaurant with multi-mobile robots. In: 2017 International automatic control conference (CACS), IEEE, pp 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/cacs.2017.8284256

  10. Yu Q, Yuan C, Fu Z, Zhao Y (2012) An autonomous restaurant service robot with high positioning accuracy. Ind Robot Int J 39(3):271–281. https://doi.org/10.1108/01439911211217107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Jutharee W, Maneewarn T, Polvichai J (2013) Trajectory generation based on human attention for a bartender robot. In: 13th International conference on control, automation and systems (ICCAS) IEEE, pp 1468–1473. https://doi.org/10.1109/iccas.2013.6704118

  12. Graf R, Weckesser P (1998) Autonomous roomservice in a hotel. IFAC Proc Volumes 31(3):501–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-6670(17)44135-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. López J, Pérez D, Zalama E, Gómez-García-Bermejo J (2013) Bellbot-a hotel assistant system using mobile robots. Int J Adv Rob Syst 10(1):40. https://doi.org/10.5772/54954

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Pinillos R, Marcos S, Feliz R, Zalama E, Gómez-García-Bermejo J (2016) Long-term assessment of a service robot in a hotel environment. Rob Auton Syst 79:40–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2016.01.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Sun S, Takeda T, Koyama H, Kubota N (2016) Smart device interlocked robot partners for information support systems in sightseeing guide. In Joint 8th international conference on soft computing and intelligent systems (SCIS) and 17th international symposium on advanced intelligent systems, pp 586–590. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/scis-isis.2016.0129

  16. Sakamoto D, Hayashi K, Kanda T, Shiomi M, Koizumi S, Ishiguro H, Ogasawara T, Hagita N (2009) Humanoid robots as a broadcasting communication medium in open public spaces. Int J Soc Robot 1(2):157–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-009-0015-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Shiomi M, Sakamoto D, Kanda T, Ishi CT, Ishiguro H, Hagita N (2008) A semi-autonomous communication robot: a field trial at a train station. In: Proceedings of the 3rd ACM/IEEE international conference on Human robot interaction, pp 303–310. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/1349822.1349862

  18. Triebel R, Arras K, Alami R, Beyer L, Breuers S, Chatila R, Chetouani M, Cremers D, Evers V, Fiore M, Hung H (2016) Spencer: a socially aware service robot for passenger guidance and help in busy airports. In: Wettergreen D, Barfoot T (eds) Field and service robotics. Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics, vol 113, pp 607–622. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27702-8_40

    Google Scholar 

  19. Burgard W, Cremers AB, Fox D, Hähnel D, Lakemeyer G, Schulz D, Steiner W, Thrun S (1999) Experiences with an interactive museum tour-guide robot. Artif Intell 114(1–2):3–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0004-3702(99)00070-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Acaccia, GM, Bruzzone LE, Razzoli RP (2006, January) Mobile robots for airports surveillance: a modular solution. In: ASME 8th Biennial conference on engineering systems design and analysis, pp 705–711. American Society of Mechanical Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1115/esda2006-95392

  21. Sadjadi H, Jarrah MA (2011) Autonomous cleaning system for Dubai international airport. J Frankl Inst 348(1):112–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfranklin.2009.02.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Abad P, Franco M, Castillón R, Alonso I, Cambra A, Sierra J, Riazuelo L, Montano L, Murillo AC (2017) Integrating an autonomous robot on a dance and new technologies festival. In: Iberian robotics conference, pp 75–87. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70833-1_7

    Google Scholar 

  23. De Graaf MMA, Allouch SB, Klamer T (2015) Sharing a life with Harvey: Exploring the acceptance of and relationship-building with a social robot. Comput Hum Behav 43:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.10.030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Dinet J, Vivian R (2014) Exploratory investigation of attitudes towards assistive robots for future users. Le travail humain 77(2):105–125. https://doi.org/10.3917/th.772.0105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hudson J, Orviska M, Hunady J (2017) People’s attitudes to robots in caring for the elderly. Int J Soc Robot 9(2):199–210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-016-0384-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Katz JE, Halpern D (2014) Attitudes towards robots suitability for various jobs as affected robot appearance. Behav Inf Technol 33(9):941–953. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2013.783115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Malchus K, Jaecks P, Wrede B, Stenneken P (2013) Application of social robots in speech and language therapy?! An investigation into speech and language pathologists’ attitudes towards embodied agents [Einsatz sozialer Roboter in der Sprachtherapie?! Erhebung eines Stimmungsbildes von Sprachtherapeutlnnen] L.O.G.O.S. Interdisziplinair 21(2): 106–116. https://doi.org/10.7345/prolog-1302106

  28. Pochwatko G, Giger J-C, Różańska-Walczuk M, Świdrak J, Kukiełka K, Możaryn J, Piçarra N (2015) Polish version of the negative attitude toward robots scale (NARS-PL) Journal of Automation. Mobile Robot Intell Syst 9(3):65–72. https://doi.org/10.14313/JAMRIS_3-2015/25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Reich-Stiebert N, Eyssel F (2015) Learning with educational companion robots? Toward attitudes on education robots, predictors of attitudes, and application potentials for education robots. Int J Soc Robot 7(5):875–888. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-015-0308-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Ivanov S, Webster C, Garenko A (2018) Young Russian adults’ attitudes towards the potential use of robots in hotels. Technol Soc (in press), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2018.06.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Ivanov S, Webster C, Seyyedi P (2018) Consumers’ attitudes towards the introduction of robots in accommodation establishments. Tourism 63(3):302–317

    Google Scholar 

  32. Tussyadiah IP, Park S (2018) Consumer evaluation of hotel service robots. In: Stangl B, Pesonen J (eds) Information and communication technologies in tourism 2018. Springer, Cham, pp 308–320. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72923-7_24

    Google Scholar 

  33. Tussyadiah IP, Zach FK Wang J (2017) Attitudes toward autonomous on demand mobility system: the case of self-driving taxi. In: Schegg R, Strangl B (eds) Information and communication technologies in tourism 2017, pp 755–766. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51168-9_54

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  34. Ivanov S, Webster C (2017) Designing robot-friendly hospitality facilities. In: Proceedings of the scientific conference “Tourism. Innovations. Strategies”, 13–14 October 2017, Bourgas, Bulgaria, pp 74–81

    Google Scholar 

  35. Ivanov S, Webster C (2017) The robot as a consumer: a research agenda. In: Proceedings of the “Marketing: experience and perspectives” conference, 29–30 June 2017, University of Economics-Varna, Bulgaria, pp 71–79

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ivanov S, Webster C (2018) Adoption of robots, artificial intelligence and service automation by travel, tourism and hospitality companies – a cost-benefit analysis. In: Marinov V, Vodenska M, Assenova M, Dogramadjieva E (eds) Traditions and innovations in contemporary tourism. Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, pp 190–203

    Google Scholar 

  37. Kuo C-M, Chen L-C, Tseng C-Y (2017) Investigating an innovative service with hospitality robots. Int J Contemp Hosp Manag 29(5):1305–1321. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-08-2015-0414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Murphy J, Gretzel U, Hofacker C (2017) Service robots in hospitality and tourism: investigating anthropomorphism. Paper presented at the 15th APacCHRIE Conference, 31 May-2 June 2017, Bali, Indonesia. http://heli.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/APacCHRIE2017_Service-Robots_paper-200.pdf. Access 2 Dec 2017

  39. Murphy J, Hofacker C, Gretzel U (2017) Dawning of the age of robots in hospitality and tourism: challenges for teaching and research. Eur J Tour Res 15:104–111

    Google Scholar 

  40. Tung VWS, Au N (2018) Exploring customer experiences with robotics in hospitality. Int J Contemp Hosp Manag (in press), https://doi.org/10.1108/ijchm-06-2017-0322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Tung VWS, Law R (2017) The potential for tourism and hospitality experience research in human-robot interactions. Int J Contemp Hosp Manag 29(10):2498–2513. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-09-2016-0520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Yu C-E (2018) Humanlike robot and human staff in service: age and gender differences in perceiving smiling behaviors. In: Proceedings of the 7th international conference on industrial technology and management (ICITM), 2018, pp 99–103. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/icitm.2018.8333927

  43. Yu C-E (2018) Perceptual differences toward humanlike robots and humans in service: Individualist versus collectivist cultures. In: Mauer C, Neuhofer B (eds) ISCONTOUR 2018 tourism research perspectives: proceedings of the international student conference in tourism research, pp 323–332

    Google Scholar 

  44. Allison G (1971) Essence of decision: explaining the cuban missile crisis, 1ed. Little Brown. ISBN 0-673-39412-3

    Google Scholar 

  45. Bollini M, Tellex S, Thompson T, Roy N, Rus D (2013) Interpreting and executing recipes with a cooking robot. In: Desai J, Dudek G, Khatib O, Kumar V (eds) Experimental robotics. Springer tracts in advanced robotics, vol 88. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00065-7_33

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  46. Zhai J, Pan G, Yan W, Fu Z, Zhao Y (2015) Dynamic analysis of a dual-arm humanoid cooking robot. In: IEEE 10th Conference on industrial electronics and applications (ICIEA), pp 835–838. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/iciea.2015.7334226

  47. Maurer M, Gerdes JC, Lenz B, Winner H (eds) (2016) Autonomous driving: technical, legal and social aspects. Springer Open, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-48847-8

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Ulrike Gretzel, Katerina Berezina, Iis Tussyadiah, Jamie Murphy, Dimitrios Buhalis and Cihan Cobanoglu for their valuable comments on the initial drafts of the questionnaire. The authors also thank Sofia Yanko, Katerina Berezina, Nadia Malenkina, Raul Fernandez Martin, Antoaneta Topalova, Florian Aubke, Nedra Bahri, Frederic Dimanche, Rosanna Leung, Kwang-ho Lee, Minako Okada, Isa Veira, Jean Max Tavares, Seden Dogan and Isabella Ye for devoting their time and effort into the translation of the questionnaire.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Tourism, Varna University of Management, Varna, Bulgaria

    Stanislav Ivanov

  2. Department of Management, Ball State University, Muncie, USA

    Craig Webster

Authors
  1. Stanislav Ivanov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Craig Webster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stanislav Ivanov .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Business School, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland

    Juho Pesonen

  2. Faculty of Informatics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria

    Julia Neidhardt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Ivanov, S., Webster, C. (2019). What Should Robots Do? A Comparative Analysis of Industry Professionals, Educators and Tourists. In: Pesonen, J., Neidhardt, J. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2019. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05940-8_20

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation