Table 2 Themes and managerial... | Emerald Publishing

Table 2

Themes and managerial implications

Theme	Key implications for SME hotels	Source
Perceptions of ChatGPT and GenAI in HT	GenAI can act as a 24/7 “knowledgeable assistant” for guest inquiries, reservations and decision support, but managers must apply human oversight to ensure accuracy and reliability	Gursoy et al. (2023), Singh and Singh (2024), Shaalan et al. (2024)
Potential applications in hotel operations	Practical uses include late-night self-check-in, multilingual FAQs, automated Booking.com replies, internal communication and personalized marketing offers. These support efficiency and revenue growth while reducing staff workload	Zarezadeh et al. (2023), Moncarz and Moreo (2024)
Impact on human interaction	Over-reliance risks depersonalizing service and weakening loyalty, especially in boutique hotels. A hybrid AI–human model preserves empathy and personal touch while gaining efficiency benefits	Hughes et al. (2025)
Barriers to adoption	High costs, staff training needs and ethical issues (privacy, job displacement) hinder adoption. SMEs should adopt step-by-step strategies and emphasize AI as a complement, not replacement	Cubric (2020)
Future prospects and strategic integration	GenAI can deliver personalized recommendations and automate routine tasks, enhancing competitiveness. Successful integration requires hybrid strategies aligned with guest demographics	Wang (2024)
GenAI's role in personal selling	Supports upselling, cross-selling and automated follow-ups. However, emotional intelligence gaps mean it should augment, not replace, human sales roles	Koukopoulos et al. (2024)

Theme	Key implications for SME hotels	Source
Perceptions of ChatGPT and GenAI in HT	GenAI can act as a 24/7 “knowledgeable assistant” for guest inquiries, reservations and decision support, but managers must apply human oversight to ensure accuracy and reliability	Gursoy et al. (2023), Singh and Singh (2024), Shaalan et al. (2024)
Potential applications in hotel operations	Practical uses include late-night self-check-in, multilingual FAQs, automated Booking.com replies, internal communication and personalized marketing offers. These support efficiency and revenue growth while reducing staff workload	Zarezadeh et al. (2023), Moncarz and Moreo (2024)
Impact on human interaction	Over-reliance risks depersonalizing service and weakening loyalty, especially in boutique hotels. A hybrid AI–human model preserves empathy and personal touch while gaining efficiency benefits	Hughes et al. (2025)
Barriers to adoption	High costs, staff training needs and ethical issues (privacy, job displacement) hinder adoption. SMEs should adopt step-by-step strategies and emphasize AI as a complement, not replacement	Cubric (2020)
Future prospects and strategic integration	GenAI can deliver personalized recommendations and automate routine tasks, enhancing competitiveness. Successful integration requires hybrid strategies aligned with guest demographics	Wang (2024)
GenAI's role in personal selling	Supports upselling, cross-selling and automated follow-ups. However, emotional intelligence gaps mean it should augment, not replace, human sales roles	Koukopoulos et al. (2024)