The beauty premium of tour guides in the customer decision-making process: An AI-based big data analysis

This study investigates how the facial cues of tour guides in their profile pictures, and especially aesthetically pleasing facial features, play a role in the different stages of a tourist's decision-making process. Facilitated by an artificial intelligence (AI) facial recognition system, a comprehensive model is developed which incorporates the facial and service cues of 3786 tour guides. The results show that beauty scores and smiles have a positive effect on purchase decisions, while post-service ratings are only subject to service cues. The contingency effects of the beauty premium are also examined. The results indicate greater beauty premium effects for females, and for tour guides who are responsible for chauffeured, package or walking tours. This research is a pioneering study in AI-based facial analyses in the context of tourism, and offers insights into the impression management of online profiles in the customer decision-making stages.