This article examines restaurant customers’ online activity following visits to restaurants. Differences in customers’ opinions based on gender and location are discussed. Sentiment analysis was used to analyze customers’ social media behavior in terms of liking, rating, and reviewing restaurants. User‐generated reviews and comments about experiences influence potential customers’ decisions. The results of this study show that gender and location of customers influence restaurant ratings. This article shows that sentiment analysis (using Natural Language Toolkit and TextBlob) can help marketers by providing a useful tool for big data analysis. Sentiment analysis can be used to interpret customer behavior and highlight how presales, sales, and after‐sales strategies can be improved.
Purpose
The hospitality and tourism sector has witnessed phenomenal growth in customer numbers during the postpandemic times. This growth has been accompanied by the use of technologies in customer interface and backend activities, including the adoption of self-serving technologies. This study aims to analyze the existing practices and challenges and establish a research agenda for the implementation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) (such as ChatGPT) and similar tools in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzes the existing literature and practices. This study draws upon these practices to outline a novel research agenda for scholars and practitioners working in this domain.
Findings
The integration of generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, will have a transformational impact on the hospitality and tourism industry. This study highlights the potential challenges of implementing such technologies from the perspectives of companies, customers and regulators.
Research limitations/implications
This study serves as a reference material for those who are planning to use generative AI tools like ChatGPT in their hospitality and tourism businesses. This study also highlights potential pitfalls that ChatGPT-enabled systems may encounter during service delivery processes.
Originality/value
This study is a pioneering work that assesses the applications of ChatGPT in the hospitality and tourism industry. This study highlights the potential and challenges in implementing ChatGPT within the hospitality and tourism industry.
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