Purpose Drawing on the source attractiveness model and parasocial theory, this study investigated how influencer type (human vs. virtual) and message appeal (rational vs. emotional) influence festivalgoers' sustainable behaviors. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a two-stage experimental design with festivalgoers as participants. Stage 1 examined the direct effects of influencer type on sustainable behavioral intentions, as well as indirect effects through serial mediation by source attractiveness and social media engagement. Stage 2 incorporated message appeal, examining its interaction with influencer type and serial mediation through source attractiveness and parasocial relationships. Findings Virtual influencers drive strong pro-environmental intentions through a significant direct effect, despite a significant source attractiveness deficit compared to humans. While parasocial relationships and engagement typically mediate these outcomes, emotional appeals create a suppression effect, exacerbating the virtual influencer's deficit in perceived source attractiveness while simultaneously strengthening behavioral intentions. Practical implications The findings offer practical guidance for festival organizers and destination marketers on how to strategically align influencer type and message appeal with sustainability objectives. They can pair emotional appeals with virtual influencers to enhance pro-environmental behavioral impact, whereas human influencers or community representatives may be better suited to prosocial and relationship-oriented goals. Originality/value This study extends research on virtual influencers and sustainable tourism by showing how influencer type and message appeal jointly shape festivalgoers' pro-environmental intentions. It contributes theoretically by positioning source attractiveness as a relational mechanism distinct from source credibility and by identifying a boundary condition under which virtual influencers can motivate pro-environmental action despite lower perceived attractiveness and weakened parasocial pathways.
Purpose This study examines consumer food purchase intentions at US state fairs by comparing the effects of enduring and situational involvement, identifying key situational predictors and testing the moderating role of food safety knowledge. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative design was employed using an online survey distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (M-Turk). Respondents completed structured questionnaires measuring situational involvement factors, food safety knowledge and purchase intentions. Data were screened and analyzed using multiple regression, with moderation tested via interaction terms. Findings Situational involvement significantly influenced food purchase intentions, while enduring involvement was not significant. Subjective norm, novelty seeking, popularity and hedonic value were strong predictors. Food safety knowledge negatively moderated these relationships, weakening the influence of situational drivers. Research limitations/implications The findings help fair organizers and food vendors develop more effective marketing and food safety strategies. The study also extends involvement theory by identifying food safety knowledge as a moderator of purchase intentions. Originality/value This study extends involvement theory by demonstrating the dominant role of situational involvement in high-arousal event settings and introducing food safety knowledge as a boundary condition shaping consumer decision-making.
Purpose This study examines how environmental awareness and environmental concern shape travelers' endorsement of airline environmental CSR initiatives and how these perceptions influence attitudes toward eco-friendly flights, booking intention and willingness to pay a premium. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 326 US air travelers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The model tested direct, mediation and serial mediation effects. Findings Environmental awareness and environmental concern were positively associated with travelers' endorsement of airline environmental CSR initiatives, with environmental concern showing the stronger effect. Airline environmental CSR initiatives positively influenced attitudes toward eco-friendly flights, which predicted booking intention and willingness to pay. The mediation and serial mediation results showed that CSR perceptions, attitudes and booking intention explain how environmental values are translated into willingness to pay for eco-friendly flights. Practical implications The findings suggest that airlines should communicate environmental CSR initiatives in credible, measurable and transparent ways. Travelers may be more willing to support eco-friendly flights when they understand how sustainability initiatives are implemented and how premiums contribute to environmental outcomes. Originality/value This study contributes to sustainable aviation research by testing a mechanism-based value–CSR–attitude–behavior pathway. It clarifies not only whether environmental values, CSR perceptions, attitudes, booking intention and willingness to pay are related, but also how these relationships unfold.
Purpose This interdisciplinary research combining the fields of tourism and computer science aims to develop a framework (HotelWebComp) as a Web application for the automated analysis of hotel websites using machine learning (ML) techniques. Design/methodology/approach The study outlines the methodology utilizing Web data via Web Crawling and Scraping and employs various AI tools including ontology reasoning and ML to propose a framework for assessing hotel websites and identifying key features for improvement. The Web application was tested using a sample of 50 hotel websites. Findings A Web-based automated assessment application (HotelWebComp), which calculates a competence score for a given hotel website has been developed to help hotels enhance their direct online booking capacities. Practical implications The research can be situated within a broad understanding of the UN sustainable development goals, responding in particular to goals 9 and 11 to propose an innovative framework to help increase the profitability of small, medium and independent hotels in particular, which can in turn lead to wider economic benefits to the destination communities and generating increases of income and a more diverse and sustainable tourist industry. Originality/value The study demonstrates how the application of ML tools when assessing hotel websites can drive online competitive advantage within the hotel industry. The major impact of the study is to propose an ML-based approach supporting the automated method to assess hotel websites combining technical and marketing aspects to drive hotels' competitiveness.
Purpose This study aims to examine and develop a qualitative typology that explains how travelers interpret and respond differently to social media influence, digital minimalism and gamified travel features across the trip lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on social comparison theory and self-determination theory, the study employed an interpretivist qualitative design. In-depth, narrative-oriented interviews were conducted with 21 travelers, and the data were analyzed using an abductive, reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring behavioral patterns and experiential trajectories across cases. Findings Five distinct experiential arcs were identified, reflecting different ways in which travelers transform social comparison into pre-trip planning, on-site practices, digital engagement and responses to gamification. These arcs vary according to how digital cues are interpreted as supporting or constraining autonomy, competence and relatedness, producing experiences of urgency, optimization, presence, social synchrony or identity reorientation. Practical implications The findings inform the design of flexible, autonomy-supportive tourism platforms and experiences by highlighting arc-specific differences in traveler motivations and attention management, suggesting the need to calibrate visibility, challenge and connectivity according to diverse traveler orientations. Originality/value The study contributes to tourism research by conceptualizing social comparison as a set of dynamic, qualitative trajectories rather than as a uniform mechanism and by integrating digital minimalism and gamification within a more unified motivational framework.
Purpose Wellness tourism constitutes one of the most rapidly expanding segments of the tourism industry, playing a pivotal role in enhancing physical and psychological well-being. This study aims to investigate the influence of wellness tourism motivation on trust, satisfaction, and tourist citizenship behaviors (TCB). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 400 international tourists who used wellness tourism services in Thailand through paper-based questionnaires and were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The findings revealed that wellness tourism motivations significantly influenced trust and satisfaction. Furthermore, both trust and satisfaction significantly affected TCB, including recommendations, helping, tolerance, and feedback. Practical implications This study provides guidance to wellness operators on promoting TCB by fostering motivation fulfillment and developing relationship quality. The findings emphasize the need to create authentic wellness programs that address intrinsic needs while building trust and satisfaction, as these dimensions are strongly associated with citizenship behaviors, generating word-of-mouth marketing, operational improvements, and destination competitiveness. Originality/value This study makes a distinctive contribution by examining the complete motivation–relationship quality–citizenship behavior pathway in wellness tourism, an area receiving limited empirical attention. These findings advance our understanding of how wellness motivations simultaneously activate trust and satisfaction through integrated cognitive-affective processes while revealing differential effects on citizenship behaviors. By foregrounding motivational fulfillment as foundational to relationship development, this study extends existing theoretical frameworks and offers actionable insights for wellness tourism research and its practical applications.
Purpose Drawing on expectancy theory, this study examines how job security affects employees' intrinsic motivation, which in turn influences their occupational growth and service innovation. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods research design was adopted. Study 1 employed a two-wave, time-lagged survey over one month in a state-owned hotel in China. Study 2 comprised semi-structured interviews to provide qualitative insights. Findings Job security exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with intrinsic motivation: moderate levels are most conducive to fostering intrinsic motivation, which in turn enhances occupational growth and service innovation. Moreover, position level moderates this curvilinear relationship. Practical implications Job security alone does not guarantee motivation or innovation in state-owned hotels. Managers should balance stability with performance-linked advancement, developmental opportunities and structured innovation mechanisms. Originality/value The effects of job security have long been debated: Does it consistently yield positive outcomes? In practice, particularly within state-owned hotels where employees often enjoy high job security, low proactivity and limited service innovation are commonly observed. This study offers insights into the complex and dynamic nature of job security's impact on employee motivation and performance in state-owned hotels.
PurposeOnline reviews have become a key source of data concerning customer experience for restaurants and are relevant for a business’s competitiveness and positioning. The present study analyzes users’ perceptions of the restaurants featured on the Catalan television show Joc de Cartes, broadcast by TV3, by examining both user-generated content (Google reviews) and brand-generated content (Instagram posts and comments). Design/methodology/approachThe dataset includes over 24,000 reviews and 5,900 social media comments from 909 official posts. We use a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative and quantitative analyses of sentiment and emotion, powered by large language models, to evaluate how viewers respond to different aspects of the dining experience, food, service, atmosphere and price, both before and after each episode. FindingsResults show a general predominance of positive sentiment, but also a notable spike in negative emotions after episodes air, particularly in user comments. Posts with negative sentiment, although rare, tend to generate the highest engagement. These findings suggest that television exposure influences restaurant reputation but must be complemented by active digital communication strategies. Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the need for restaurants to adopt proactive digital communication and active social media monitoring. For broadcasters, maintaining consistent online content and using emotionally engaging formats is key to sustaining audience interaction and protecting brand reputation. Originality/valueThe study offers practical insights for restaurants and broadcasters on managing online reputation and audience engagement.
PurposeThis study aims to examines how customers’ perceptions of restaurant innovativeness influence the perceived value of gastronomic experiences and the overall evaluation of Haute Cuisine restaurants. It addresses a key gap in hospitality research by integrating demand-side perceptions into the understanding of innovation effects. Design/methodology/approachA quantitative, descriptive–explanatory design was employed. Data were collected through a structured online survey of customers who had recently visited Michelin-listed restaurants in São Paulo (n = 168). After validating the constructs through confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling was applied using the diagonally weighted least squares estimator to test the relationships among innovativeness, perceived value and restaurant evaluation. FindingsResults show that perceived innovativeness exerts a strong and significant effect on perceived value and directly influences restaurant evaluation. Perceived value also significantly affects evaluation, confirming its partial mediating role. Menu and brand innovativeness were the most influential dimensions on perceived innovativeness, while emotional and epistemic value were the strongest components of perceived value. Research limitations/implicationsNon-probabilistic sampling and a single-destination context limit generalization; future studies should expand to additional gastronomic formats and cultural contexts. Practical implicationsFindings highlight the need for managers to approach innovation holistically – aligning menu creativity, sensory experience design, storytelling and brand strategies to enhance emotional and cognitive value perceptions. Originality/valueThis study advances the literature by empirically integrating innovativeness and multidimensional perceived value from a consumer-centric perspective. It provides a validated hierarchical measurement model for Haute Cuisine and offers evidence that innovation operates as both a functional and symbolic driver of experiential value.
Purpose Drawing on stimulus–organism–response theory, this study developed a memorable dining experience model linking four restaurant attributes (food, service staff food recommendations, service quality and atmospherics) to memorable dining experiences, revisit intentions, and the moderating role of customer gender in the context of nutraceutical traditional Chinese medicine restaurants. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 949 patrons of nutraceutical restaurants in China and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings All four restaurant attributes significantly influenced seven memorable dining experiences components (sensory, affect, behavioral, intellectual, social, novelty and meaningfulness). All components except intellectual experience significantly enhanced revisit intentions, with effects varying by customer gender. Practical implications The findings provide important guidance for restaurant managers in enhancing service delivery, designing menus and creating memorable customer experiences. Originality/value This study is among the first to examine the antecedents and outcomes of memorable dining experiences in traditional Chinese medicine restaurants, a growing health and wellbeing-oriented dining segment.
Purpose This study examines customers' memorable dining experiences (MDEs) in robot-service restaurants and investigates how these experiences influence satisfaction, engagement, and transformative outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 667 Korean customers who had dined at robot-service restaurants and were analyzed using structural modeling analysis. Findings Results support a seven-dimensional MDE structure (meaningfulness, novelty, social interaction, hedonism, escapism, knowledge and refreshment) in robot-service restaurants. These dimensions positively affect overall satisfaction, which subsequently enhance customers' involvement with and attachment to the restaurant. Through these mediating processes, MDEs are indirectly associated with transformative outcomes, such as subjective well-being, self-esteem and global citizenship behavior, reflecting customers' psychological and prosocial responses to robot-delivered dining experiences. Practical implications The findings offer practical insights for restaurant managers aiming to design robot-service encounters that enhance memorability, customer engagement and positive well-being and social outcomes. Originality/value This study contributes to the MDEs literature by validating a multidimensional experiential framework in robot-service restaurants and by extending its nomological network to incorporate transformative customer outcomes informed by service research and memory-dominant logic.
Purpose This study examines how workation experience translates into destination loyalty by comparing the roles of affective and functional outcomes, namely well-being and work productivity, within tourism contexts. Design/methodology/approach A sequential mixed-methods design was employed. An exploratory qualitative phase was conducted to contextualize key experiential dimensions of workation. These insights informed the adaptation of measurement constructs, which were subsequently tested using survey data from international workation travelers in Thailand and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The results show that workation experience positively influences both well-being and work productivity. However, only well-being significantly explains destination attachment, revisit intention and word-of-mouth intention, whereas work productivity does not directly affect destination loyalty. This suggests that affective and quality-of-life evaluations play a more central role in loyalty formation than instrumental work-related outcomes. Research limitations/implications The study builds on recent conceptualizations of workation by empirically examining how workation experience translates into destination-related outcomes, particularly by distinguishing between affective (well-being) and functional (work productivity) pathways. Practical implications Destinations seeking to attract workation travelers should emphasize quality-of-life attributes and everyday living conditions, rather than focusing solely on work-oriented facilities. Originality/value This study contributes by empirically examining how different outcome dimensions of workation experience influence destination loyalty and by clarifying the distinct roles of well-being and work productivity in shaping destination-related outcomes.
Purpose Sports constitute a strategic pillar in enhancing destination image. This study aims to investigate the extent to which sports-related drivers (specifically sports clubs and sports celebrities) shape Spain's destination image. The research examines (1) the role of sports fans' engagement in determining perceptions of sports clubs and sports celebrities, (2) the subsequent influence of these perceptions on the overall image of Spain as a tourism destination, (3) the effect of destination image on trust and loyalty toward the country, (4) the impact of trust on destination loyalty and (5) the moderating function of tourists' knowledge of Spanish sports. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data were collected from a probabilistic sample of 1,015 tourists originating from Spain's major inbound markets (the United Kingdom, France and Germany). The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM), allowing for the simultaneous estimation of causal relationships among the constructs. Findings The analysis demonstrates that sports fans' engagement significantly enhances both sports club and sports celebrity image. These images, in turn, exert a positive effect on Spain's destination image. Moreover, destination image is shown to substantially increase both trust in the destination and destination loyalty. Trust also exerts a direct and positive influence on loyalty. Finally, tourists' knowledge of Spanish sports strengthens the relationship between engagement and sports image, while attenuating the influence of sports image on destination image. Practical implications The findings suggest that destination marketing organisations should strategically collaborate with sports clubs and athletes to strengthen destination image, trust and loyalty. Marketing campaigns should also be adapted according to tourists' knowledge of national sports, as less knowledgeable tourists respond more strongly to sports-related image transfer. Originality/value This study bridges existing gaps in sports and tourism literature by examining the combined influence of sports clubs, sports celebrities and fan engagement on destination image, trust and loyalty within an international tourist context. The incorporation of tourists' knowledge of Spanish sports as a moderating variable adds cultural depth to the theoretical model and generates relevant managerial implications for destination marketing and sports management practitioners.
Purpose This study explores the influence of paradoxical leadership on sustainable work behavior in Egypt's five-star hotel sector, highlighting the mediating role of green knowledge sharing and the moderating role of green mindfulness. Grounded in Social Learning Theory and supported by Mindfulness Theory, the study posits that paradoxical leaders—who balance competing demands such as control and flexibility—create an environment that fosters sustainability-oriented behaviors among hotel employees. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through structured questionnaires from 393 hotel employees and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). PLS-SEM was employed using WarpPLS to analyze the hypothesized structural relationships. The study also tested the moderating role of mindfulness and the mediating role of green knowledge sharing in the proposed model. Findings The findings reveal that paradoxical leadership significantly enhances sustainable work behavior both directly and indirectly through green knowledge sharing. Furthermore, green mindfulness strengthens the positive effects of paradoxical leadership on both green knowledge sharing and sustainable work behavior. Practical implications These results underscore the importance of paradoxical leadership as a key driver of pro-environmental behavior in hospitality contexts, providing theoretical and managerial insights for promoting sustainability in service organizations. Originality/value This study is original in demonstrating how paradoxical leadership drives sustainable work behavior in Egypt's five-star hotels, uniquely highlighting green knowledge sharing as a mediator and green mindfulness as a moderator. By integrating Social Learning and Mindfulness theories, it advances understanding of the cognitive and affective mechanisms through which leaders promote employee pro-environmental behavior, offering practical guidance for sustainability-focused leadership in hospitality.
Purpose This study investigated how resort fee presentation, through the lens of framing, price transparency and mental budgeting, impacts customer decision-making in hotel booking now that fee disclosures are mandatory. It sought to identify effective pricing strategies beneficial to both hotel customers and operators. Design/methodology/approach Two experimental studies were conducted using factorial designs. In study 1, 248 participants and in study 2, 320 participants evaluated hotel booking scenarios that were modeled after online booking scenarios. Across both studies, participants evaluated measures including booking intention, perceived fairness, gain/loss, pain buffering and pleasure attenuation. Findings Study 1 revealed that resort fee amount strongly influenced consumer evaluations, with lower fees perceived as fairer, more appealing and more valuable, while framing had no significant effect. Study 2 showed that booking intention was higher when resort fees were optional and under subtractive framing, with psychological mechanisms aligning with pain buffering and pleasure attenuation. Bundled pricing was preferred with subtractive framing, whereas itemized pricing enhanced fairness and appeal under additive framing when expense categories were provided. These results highlight that transparency and mental budgeting moderate framing effects, shaping perceived fairness and purchase intentions. Research limitations/implications This research integrates prospect theory, mental accounting and dual processing theory to explain how consumers evaluate bundled versus itemized pricing. It demonstrates that framing effects rely on both cognitive effort and contextual factors. While subtractive framing generally prevails, additive framing becomes effective when itemization aligns with mental budgeting categories. Originality/value This study integrates framing, mental accounting and dual-processing theories to explain consumer responses to resort fees under mandated price transparency. The study reveals when framing effects persist through heuristic versus systematic processing, and when they collapse due to price dominance. The study provides actionable insights for hospitality pricing strategies in response to regulatory changes and contributes to the broader understanding of consumer psychology in travel decision-making.
Purpose This study investigates the influence of digital nomadism on the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability of host destinations. It considers perceived destination strain as a mediating factor and examines the roles of the remote work policy environment, host community receptiveness and smart destination capability as institutional boundary conditions. Design/methodology/approach An integrated model was developed and empirically tested by employing the sustainable livelihoods framework, carrying capacity theory, and institutional theory. Data collection was executed through a two-phase stakeholder survey conducted at digital nomad destinations in India (N = 338). The comprehensive model was estimated using SmartPLS 4.1, with 5,000 bootstrap iterations. Findings Digital nomadism exerts a positive influence on all three dimensions of sustainability; however, it also imposes a perceived burden on destinations, which partially diminishes these benefits through significant negative indirect effects. The three institutional moderators play a pivotal role: remote work policy most effectively alleviates the generation of strain, host community receptiveness mitigates socio-cultural erosion and smart destination capability enhances environmental resilience. Research limitations/implications Perceived destination strain is identified as a threshold-dependent mediating mechanism, thereby redefining the sustainability impacts of nomadism as conditional rather than inherently beneficial. Institutional moderators serve as pathway-specific buffers rather than generalized ones, thereby enhancing the application of institutional theory within tourism research. Practical implications Policymakers are encouraged to develop comprehensive governance frameworks that integrate regulation, sustainability levies and civic engagement. Destination managers should invest in infrastructure designed for digital nomads and promote community integration to transform digital nomadism into a sustainable and enduring asset. Originality/value This study presents one of the initial empirically validated analyses of the multidimensional sustainability impacts of digital nomadism within a comprehensive moderated-mediation framework. It shifts the focus from opportunity-centric narratives to emphasize governance-driven destination sustainability.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between employee performance (EP), organizational excellence (OEXC) and organizational productivity (OP) in the Egyptian tourism and hospitality sector, with a comparative focus on hotels and travel agencies (TAEs). Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 255 hotel employees (HEs) and 228 TAEs in the Greater Cairo Region. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed hypotheses and assess the mediating role of OEXC. Findings The results indicate that employee performance positively influences both excellence principles EPN and EPC, which in turn enhance organizational productivity. OEXC partially mediates the relationship between employee performance and productivity. Significant differences were observed between hotels and TAEs, with HEs demonstrating higher levels of performance, excellence, and productivity. Practical implications The study is limited by its cross-sectional design and sample size, which may affect generalizability. Future research could adopt longitudinal designs, include additional variables (e.g. organizational culture and technology) and expand to other sectors or regions. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive model linking employee performance, OEXC and productivity in a comparative context. It offers empirical evidence from a developing country context, enriching the literature on service excellence and productivity in tourism and hospitality.
Purpose This study explores senior managers’ perceptions of Metaverse technology adoption in the tourism and hospitality industry and the factors shaping these perceptions. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research design was employed to comprehensively explore managerial views on the Metaverse. Data were collected from 30 managers using a combination of snowball and convenience sampling methods and were subsequently analyzed and interpreted within the framework of transcendental phenomenology. Findings The findings indicate that Metaverse adoption does not follow a linear relationship between organizational pressure and adoption; rather, it unfolds as an interactive and multi-level process shaped by executive sensemaking and motivational internalization mechanisms. Originality/value This study provides a phenomenology-based understanding of how senior hospitality managers make sense of Metaverse adoption, linking their perceptions to organizational innovation and strategic decision-making. It also offers practical insights by showing that successful Metaverse adoption requires aligning organizational strategies with external pressures while supporting managers’ cognitive and motivational engagement in the process.
Purpose To explore the intricate relationships among the culture, sports, and tourism (CST) resources of Guizhou Province in China. Design/methodology/approach Based on Guizhou's CST industry data (2015–2023), this study aims to develop a Delphi-based evaluation index system and employ both the coupling coordination degree method (CCDM) and grey system theory to evaluate the comprehensive development level, determine key driving factors, and forecast future industrial trends in the CST industries. Findings (1) The CCDM was relatively stable but generally remained in an unbalanced state at low-level coupling and partial engagement stages. (2) The main driving factors influencing the development of CST industries were transportation location, policy support, demand, and the economic environment. (3) The (D) value of CST industries was projected to increase from 2021 to 2025. Practical implications By combining the factors driving the integration and development of CST industries, this study provides practical evidence for the further development of the coupling theory of industry integration. Although this analysis has reference value for promoting the development of characteristic industries, it has some limitations that warrant future research. Originality/value This study provides valuable insights into the symbiotic relationships among CST industries, highlighting their interconnections and the positive impact of these industries on economic and environmental sustainability.
Purpose As artificial intelligence (AI) moves from demos to routine hotel tasks, managers encounter a paradox: adoption speeds up, yet role clarity and engagement typically lag. Therefore, this study examines how AI appraisals and AI literacy influence job crafting and, ultimately, work engagement among hotel sales and marketing (S&M) staff within the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework. Design/methodology/approach We examined cross-sectional survey data from hotel S&M staff (N = 301) using variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Measurement quality was achieved, allowing a reliable interpretation of the structural model. Findings Challenge appraisal is positively associated with all crafting dimensions, whereas hindrance appraisal shows small positive relationships suggesting possible compensatory coping. Each crafting dimension predicts engagement, with task being the strongest, followed by relational and cognitive. AI literacy is positively associated with task, relational, and cognitive crafting, is not directly associated with work engagement, and is linked to work engagement through job crafting. Practical implications The study offers an actionable framework to support employee engagement in AI-mediated hospitality work by disaggregating job crafting and integrating challenge-hindrance appraisals. Originality/value The study contributes to AI-JD-R and job crafting research by integrating AI appraisals and AI literacy with task, cognitive, and relational crafting to explain work engagement in the underexplored hotel S&M context.
