Title: Evaluating the influence of service quality factors in the digital hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: Hamed Gheibdoust; Shahram Gilaninia; Mohammad Taleghani

Addresses: Department of Industrial Management, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran ' Department of Industrial Management, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran ' Department of Industrial Management, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran

Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technology has been employed in many parts of the hospitality and tourism industry. The present paper aims to evaluate the factors of the service quality (SERVQUAL) approach in the digital hospitality industry. The present research prioritised the SERVQUAL factors for the digital hospitality industry in Iran using the analytic network process (ANP). The data collection instrument was an ANP questionnaire, and data were collected in 2021. In the present research, five criteria and 20 sub-criteria were used for SERVQUAL in the field of digital hospitality. The most influencing criteria were intangibles, and among the sub-criteria, the most important one was mobile integrity. This study helps hospitality managers and policymakers to improve their use of digital services by emphasising the most influential factors in the hospitality industry.

Keywords: digital hospitality; digitalisation; SERVQUAL; COVID-19; analytic network process; ANP; service quality; hospitality industry; digital technology; digital services; Iran.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNVO.2023.130949

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 2023 Vol.28 No.1, pp.18 - 35

Received: 16 Sep 2022
Accepted: 14 Jan 2023
Published online: 14 May 2023 *