Academic ResearchApril 1, 2026International Journal of Hospitality Management

Is human-RAISA collaboration the future of hospitality service? Examining Gen Z's preferences and industry insights from China and Australia

Both hotel operators and Gen Z guests in China and Australia converge on the same answer: neither full automation nor purely human service is the goal — a collaborative model where robots, AI, and staff each do what they do best is what the next generation of travelers actually wants. The catch is that supply and demand are not yet aligned. Chinese hotels have moved further and faster on RAISA adoption, while Australian hotels remain more anchored to mobile technology. Gen Z preferences, particularly in China, are ahead of what most hotels currently offer, meaning there is a real competitive opportunity for properties willing to close the gap.

Authors

Mengni Fu, Barry Fraser, Charles Arcodia

Article content

What the paper studied

This paper investigated how the future of hospitality service should balance human staff and RAISA (robots, AI, and smart automation) by focusing on the preferences of Gen Z guests and the perspectives of hotel operators in China and Australia. The study used a mixed-methods approach: 21 interviews with senior hotel managers, analysis of 70 industry documents, and a survey of 800 Gen Z consumers across both countries. The goal was to understand whether the next generation of travelers prefers full automation, purely human service, or a hybrid model, and how current hotel offerings align with these preferences.

Key findings

Both hotel operators and Gen Z guests in China and Australia consistently favored a hybrid service model, where humans and RAISA collaborate, rather than a binary choice between full automation or purely human service.
Chinese hotels have adopted RAISA technologies more extensively, driven by government investment and cultural openness to automation, while Australian hotels remain more focused on mobile technology like apps and digital check-in, with less deployment of robots and AI.
Gen Z consumers in China show notably stronger preferences for technological service elements and are more likely to choose hotels based on RAISA capabilities, directly influencing their booking intentions and creating revenue implications beyond operational efficiency.
There is a clear supply-demand gap: in both countries, but especially in Australia, hotels underestimate how much Gen Z guests value RAISA-enhanced service, presenting a competitive opportunity for properties that can better align their offerings with guest expectations.

Why it matters for hospitality

This research challenges the traditional debate of automation versus human service by demonstrating that Gen Z guests and hotel operators both see value in a collaborative approach. As Gen Z becomes a larger share of the hospitality market, hotels that can effectively integrate RAISA technologies with human service will be better positioned to meet evolving guest expectations. The cross-country comparison highlights the importance of tailoring technology strategies to local market conditions and consumer readiness, rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all approach.

Practical takeaways

Develop service models that deliberately integrate RAISA technologies with human staff, assigning each to tasks where they excel, rather than aiming for full automation or resisting technology altogether.
Recognize that Gen Z guests, particularly in China, are already making booking decisions based on the presence of RAISA features, so investing in these capabilities can drive both differentiation and revenue.
Use the adapted Kano model to categorize RAISA features as baseline (expected), performance (more is better), or delight (unexpectedly positive), providing a structured way to prioritize technology investments based on guest expectations and market context.
For Australian hotels, there is a significant opportunity to move beyond mobile technology and catch up with the RAISA adoption seen in China, closing the gap between what Gen Z wants and what is currently offered.

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