AI-Enhanced Tourism Experiences: Mediating Effects of Trust, Satisfaction, and Loyalty in Personalised Service Delivery
Ashish Adholiya, Shilpa Adholiya · 2026
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of ethical AI practices, transparency, scepticism, and personalisation contributions in enhancing tourist experiences in the tourism industry. Leveraged with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), the research validates a theoretically grounded and statistically robust model through high construct reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and significant mediation effects. A balanced demographic sample of 680 respondents, predominantly digitally literate and urban, provided an inclusive base for assessing stakeholder perspectives on AI-enhanced guest experiences. Statistically, it came to notice that AI-driven personalisation significantly enhances customer satisfaction, while both ethical AI practices and transparency strengthen trust in AI systems. Interestingly, AI scepticism was found to positively influence trust, suggesting that critical evaluation may lead to more reasoned acceptance of AI solutions. Trust in AI emerged as a key mediator, reinforcing its impact on both satisfaction and the likelihood of AI adoption. Satisfaction, in turn, was shown to drive customer loyalty, ultimately enriching the overall experience. The mediation analysis underscored the indirect effects across multiple pathways, revealing that satisfaction and loyalty are critical links between AI personalisation and positive customer experiences. Notably, pathways such as Ethical AI → Trust → Satisfaction → Loyalty → Customer Experience emphasised how ethical and transparent AI strategies foster emotional connection and sustained engagement. From a managerial viewpoint, the findings advocate the holistic approach of AI integration in tourism, embraced with ethical conduct, user transparency, and trust. For researchers, the nuanced role of scepticism introduces a fresh perspective in AI acceptance frameworks. This study contributes a validated, stakeholder-informed model that supports the development of human-centred AI systems, laying the foundation for more meaningful, ethical, and trust-driven guest experiences in tourism.