Does privacy still matter in smart technology experience? A conditional mediation analysis

Smart technology plays a pivotal role in providing solutions and bringing ease to the travel experience. As many of the technologies are required to collect personal information, it usurps the adoption of technologies. Drawing upon the stimulus–organism–response framework and psychological reactance theory, this study proposed a conditional mediation model to identify the mechanisms driving consumers’ behavioural intentions and to tackle their privacy concerns, which could potentially inhibit the growth of smart travel technologies. Of the 435 respondents in China, it was found that their perceived smart travel technologies experience does not affect behavioural intentions directly but has a significant impact on engagement and memorable tourism experience. Mediation analysis revealed that engagement and memorable tourism experience mediated the relationships. Privacy concerns weaken the effects of perceived smart travel technologies experience on engagement and behavioural intentions but not on memorable tourism experience. The indirect effect of perceived smart travel technologies experience on behavioural intentions via engagement was stronger when consumers have low privacy concerns. Theoretical and practical implications are provided for understanding consumer experience towards smart travel technologies in the post-pandemic world.