ROBOTISATION AND SERVICE AUTOMATION IN THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY SECTOR: A META-STUDY (1993-2024)

The aim of this study was to illustrate the expansion of the volume of articles based on robotisation and automation in the hospitality and tourism industry, investigate different research designs and research directions, and explain their change from 1993 until 2024. Analyses 310 publications published in the last 32 years processed using Google Scholar search engine. The data sets used for the observations consist primarily of key research works, predominantly appearing in peer-reviewed international journals. Additional sources include conference proceedings, books, reports, and theses spanning the past three decades, from November 1993 to June 2024. The rising number of publications on the social aspects of robotisation and automation mirrors changing lifestyles, with recent research shifting from descriptive studies to empirical ones to evaluate the impacts of these technologies in the hospitality sector. This meta-analysis of 310 publications on robotisation and automation in tourism and hospitality shows a significant rise in research over the past five years, with a shift from promoting automated businesses to addressing workplace problems and guest services. Despite this growth, gaps remain in experimental robotics research and studies on data privacy, human-robot interactions, and financial viability.