Digital literacy and guest perceptions of AI chatbot services in hotels: A field study on enjoyment, satisfaction, and loyalty

Purpose -This study investigates the relationship between digital literacy and hotel guests' perceptions of AI chatbot services, focusing on three key dimensions: enjoyment, satisfaction, and loyalty. Drawing on empirical data from a field survey conducted in Serbia and Montenegro, the research explores how varying levels of digital literacy influence guests' evaluations of AI chatbot-assisted interactions and their behavioral intentions. Methodology -A purposive sampling approach was used to recruit participants with prior experience using hotel AI chatbots during booking, check-in, or customer service inquiries. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and comparative mean testing were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. Findings -The results reveal that digital literacy significantly influences enjoyment, satisfaction, and loyalty toward AI chatbot customer services in hotels. Serbian respondents consistently reported higher mean scores across all dimensions, with the most pronounced difference observed in loyalty. Implications -The findings contribute to the theoretical discourse on customer-AI interaction by positioning digital literacy as an important explanatory factor in shaping user experience. Practically, the results offer actionable insights for hotel managers and service designers, highlighting the importance of tailoring AI-based service strategies to guests' digital capabilities to optimize satisfaction and encourage repeat usage.