Mobile payment technology in hospitality and tourism: a critical review through the lens of demand, supply and policy

Purpose This study aims to offer a comprehensive review of mobile payment (m-payment) research in hospitality and tourism. Design/methodology/approach This study systematically reviews 105 m-payment-themed publications retrieved from five research engines including EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Scopus. Content analysis is used to draw insights from the articles. Findings Results show that research on m-payment in hospitality and tourism is generally categorized into consumer, supplier and policy dimensions. This study proposes a framework to summarize the demand–supply research standpoints and conditions that qualify research outcomes while providing contemporary policy-related discussions. Four research priorities for future studies are recommended. Practical implications Knowledge accumulation and policy-related discussions identified in this study equip practitioners with the opportunities and challenges brought by m-payment. This study provides recommendations according to the factors that drive adoption of m-payment. Originality/value This study addresses the academic gaps by critically analyzing m-payment research in hospitality and tourism and identifying four research priorities for future studies.