Driving Consumer Engagement Through AI Chatbot Experience: The Mediating Role of Satisfaction Across Generational Cohorts and Gender in Travel Tourism

This study explores how AI chatbot experiences on travel websites influence consumer engagement, with satisfaction from using AI chatbots as a mediating factor. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, the research shifts the focus from utilitarian models to examine how chatbot attributes—e.g., ease of use, information quality, security, anthropomorphism, and omnipresence—affect satisfaction of using AI chatbots and subsequent consumer engagement behaviours. Survey data from 519 Portuguese travellers were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The study contributes to theory by (1) demonstrating S-O-R’s advantages over utilitarian models in capturing relational and emotional dimensions of AI interactions, (2) identifying satisfaction with using AI chatbots as a pivotal mediator between AI chatbot experience and consumer engagement, and (3) revealing generational disparities in drivers of engagement. Notably, satisfaction strongly influences engagement for Generation X, while direct experience matters more for Generation Z. Millennials exhibit a distinct preference for hybrid human–AI service handoffs. The practical implications include prioritizing natural language processing for ease of use, implementing generational customization (e.g., gamification for Gen Z, reliability assurances for Gen X), and ensuring seamless human escalation for Millennials. These insights equip travel businesses to design AI chatbots that foster long-term loyalty and competitive differentiation.