The importance of human touch: How robot anthropomorphism impacts customer engagement in tourism and hospitality

Anthropomorphized robots are deployed to enhance experiences in tourism and hospitality. However, it remains unclear how service robot anthropomorphism affects customer engagement. Drawing upon social response theory, this research investigates the effects of robot anthropomorphism on customer engagement and the underlying processes through four experiments ( n = 1130) and single-paper meta-analysis. The results indicate that highly anthropomorphized robots are more effective in enhancing customer engagement. Further analysis reveals that this effect is mediated through the sequential pathways of social presence and trust. Additionally, the need for status and social exclusion moderate the impact of robot anthropomorphism on customer engagement. These findings carry significant theoretical and practical implications regarding the utilization of anthropomorphized robots in tourism and hospitality.