Generative AI in international hotel marketing: impacts on employee creativity and performance

Purpose This study aims to explore how generative AI enhances employee creativity and performance in international hotel marketing. It applies an integrated technology–organization–environment (TOE) and antecedents–behavior–consequences (ABC) framework to examine the role of technological competence, organizational support, government support and artificial intelligence (AI) strategy in fostering employee innovation and performance. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining survey data from 206 international hotel marketers with semi-structured interviews. The study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling to test relationships and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to identify configurations leading to high employee performance. Findings Technological competence, organizational support and government support significantly influence AI-driven innovative behavior. Innovative behavior, in turn, enhances employee creativity and performance, with creativity acting as a mediator. AI strategy amplifies the impact of organizational support on employee innovation. The fsQCA results reveal multiple pathways to achieving high employee performance, demonstrating the multifaceted nature of AI-enabled outcomes. Practical implications Hotels can enhance employee innovation and performance by investing in AI training and aligning AI strategies with organizational support. Policymakers should promote AI-friendly policies and partnerships to foster adoption. Organizations can further benefit from integrating generative AI tools with workflows to boost creativity and service quality, enhancing competitive advantage in the hospitality sector. Originality/value This study contributes by integrating the TOE and ABC frameworks to explore the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms underpinning AI-driven performance. It introduces AI strategy as a boundary condition and offers new insights into the nuanced ways AI influences creativity and productivity in hospitality management.