Liwei Hsu and Rosanna Leung
Abstract: This study aims to bridge the gap between academia and the actual application of blockchain technology in the industry. In-depth interviews were undertaken with two blockchain online travel agency (OTA) operators, six hotel/bed and breakfast owners or managers as well as three end users who had booking experience with blockchain OTAs. The interviews explored the management perceptions regarding blockchain technology in five areas, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and how trust level influences the collaboration intention towards blockchain OTAs. Most managers agree blockchain enhances organisational performance and could simplify operation procedures. Blockchain OTAs could take up technical tasks and reduce small and medium-sized hospitality organisations’ investment and labour cost on IT systems. However, star-rated hotels hesitate to work with blockchain OTAs because they are start-ups. They do not trust these newly established business models could be sustainable in the tourism ecosystem. This study is the first study that empirically examines the perceptions of Taiwanese hotel managers and customers towards blockchain technology and blockchain OTAs. Further, it sheds light on managers’ attitudes towards collaborations with start-ups.
Keywords: Blockchain technology, UTAUT, online travel agency (OTA), sharing economy, distributed ledger