International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: Emerging technologies are reshaping hospitality operations, service delivery, managerial decision-making, and guest experiences. In Zanzibar, where tourism is central to economic development, the adoption of these practices is increasingly important for five-star-rated hotels. However, evidence regarding the types and extent of emerging technologies adopted by hotels is limited and grossly undocumented.
Objective: This study examined the extent and nature of emerging technologies adoption in five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar, focusing on artificial intelligence, big data analytics, virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and blockchain technology. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative data collected via questionnaires from 251 hotel managers on adoption rates and qualitative evidence from open-ended responses. Quantitative data were used to determine the adoption levels across the selected technology domains. Simultaneously, qualitative responses explained how these technologies were applied in hotel operations, guest services, communication, revenue management, security, and decision-making. Results: The findings show that adoption varies across technology domains. Cloud computing recorded the highest mean adoption score (M = 4.14), followed by big data analytics (M = 4.13), blockchain (M = 3.96), the Internet of Things (IoT) (M = 3.57), and artificial intelligence (M = 3.08). Virtual and augmented reality showed moderate adoption (M = 2.40). These technologies support property management, customer relationship management, online review analysis, digital security, energy management, contactless services, booking systems, payment processes, and guest personalization. Virtual and augmented reality have been reported to have moderate adoption and are primarily used for marketing, virtual tours, guest orientation, and online visibility.
Conclusion: Emerging technologies’ adoption among five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar is generally high but uneven across various technology types. Hotels primarily adopt technologies that provide immediate operational value, particularly in data management, communication, security, reservations, and revenue and guest services. More advanced and less operationally integrated applications are adopted moderately or selectively by organizations.
Unique Contribution: This study provides context-specific empirical evidence on the types, levels, and operational applications of emerging technologies in five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar, Tanzania. This demonstrates that technology adoption is application-driven and reveals clear differences between widely integrated technologies, such as cloud computing and big data analytics, and selectively adopted technologies, particularly in virtual and augmented reality. Key Recommendations: Hotel managers should adopt a phased and strategically integrated approach that consolidates widely used technologies while expanding underutilized applications based on operational relevance, expected returns, maintenance requirements, and guest acceptance. Policymakers and technology providers should support hotel-specific capacity building, technical assistance, and the development of interoperable solutions to facilitate effective and sustainable technology adoption.