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Navigating the spectrum of service in hospitality: hotel employees’ experiences toward guests with disabilities

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  • Jellna Chung
  • Eunhye Park
  • Sung-Bum Kim

Abstract

The primary goal of the present study was to investigate the experiences and challenges hotel employees face when interacting with guests with disabilities. The findings of this study, derived from data collected using Reddit’s Application Programming Interface, are not just significant but crucial and timely. Using Structural Topic Modelling and quadrant analysis, 12 topics emerged, each stratified based on topic frequency and sentiment scores. These topics delve into the daily interactions of hotel employees, the emotional and practical challenges they face, and the critical issues within the hotel industry, including disability accommodation, the role of service animals, and the complexities of reservation systems in accommodating special needs. This study also sheds light on the emotional toll accommodating guests with special needs entails on employees, emphasising the urgent need for better training and clear policies to support employees and guests with disabilities. The findings suggest that service interactions can be significantly improved by enhancing disability awareness and accommodation practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Jellna Chung & Eunhye Park & Sung-Bum Kim, 2025. "Navigating the spectrum of service in hospitality: hotel employees’ experiences toward guests with disabilities," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(16), pages 2683-2701, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rcitxx:v:28:y:2025:i:16:p:2683-2701
    DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2024.2404995
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