Consumer trust and privacy in hospitality tech: A review of mobile check-in, contactless payments, and data governance

Introduction

The hospitality industry is undergoing a rapid digital transformation driven by advancements in mobile technologies, artificial intelligence, contactless systems, and data-driven service design. Hotels across all segmentsluxury, mid-scale, and budget-are increasingly integrating mobile check-in, digital room keys, contactless payments, cloud-based property management systems, and biometric authentication to enhance operational efficiency and deliver seamless guest experiences. This technological shift has accelerated significantly in the post-pandemic period, where health safety, speed, and minimal physical interaction have become crucial determinants of service preference. While these innovations promise greater convenience and personalization, they also fundamentally reshape the relationship between hospitality firms and their guests by intensifying the collection, storage, and exchange of personal data. Trust has long been recognized as a cornerstone of successful service relationships, particularly in high-contact industries such as hospitality where perceived risk is inherently high. In technology-mediated service encounters, however, trust extends beyond interpersonal interactions to include faith in digital platforms, system reliability, data security, and institutional safeguards. When guests use mobile check-in or contactless payments, they no longer evaluate only the service provider's competence; they also assess the invisible digital infrastructure that processes their identity, location, payment credentials, and behavioral patterns. As a result, technology adoption in hospitality is increasingly shaped by guests' perceptions of cybersecurity, transparency, and data governance practices. Parallel to the rise of smart hospitality technologies is the growing salience of consumer privacy. Mobile applications, loyalty programs, and smart-room systems enable hotels to capture granular guest data across the entire service journey, from pre-arrival preferences to in-stay behavioral analytics and post-stay feedback. These data ecosystems allow hyperpersonalized service offerings but also create vulnerabilities related to unauthorized access, surveillance, data misuse, and cross-platform data sharing with third-party vendors such as online travel agencies and payment gateways. For many consumers, the perceived benefits of convenience and personalization are weighed against the perceived costs of privacy loss-a trade-off commonly conceptualized through the lens of privacy calculus theory. Although a substantial body of research has examined technology acceptance in hospitality using models such as www.extensionjournal.com the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and service quality frameworks, the role of trust and privacy has often been treated as a secondary or fragmented construct. Existing studies are largely skewed toward adoption intention, usage convenience, and system performance, with comparatively limited attention to ethical data governance, cross-platform data flows, biometric data usage, and regulatory compliance in hospitality contexts. Moreover, the majority of empirical evidence is concentrated in developed economies, leaving emerging markets-where digital adoption is rapid but data protection frameworks are still evolving-underrepresented in the scholarly discourse. The post-pandemic expansion of mobile check-in, contactless payments, and facial recognition systems has further intensified these concerns. While such technologies reduce physical contact and improve service speed, they also amplify guest exposure to algorithmic decision-making, location tracking, and identity verification processes that are often opaque to users. High-profile data breaches, unauthorized surveillance allegations, and third-party data leaks across digital platforms have heightened consumer sensitivity toward how hospitality firms collect, store, and monetize personal information. Consequently, trust is no longer anchored solely in brand reputation or service quality but increasingly in the transparency, accountability, and ethical orientation of data governance practices. Despite the growing relevance of these issues, the existing literature remains fragmented across disciplines such as information systems, marketing, tourism, cybersecurity, and consumer behavior. There is a lack of an integrated, hospitality-centric synthesis that systematically connects trust formation, privacy perceptions, biometric acceptance, and institutional data governance within a single conceptual framework. Without such integration, hospitality managers face difficulty in designing technology strategies that are not only efficient but also ethically responsible and trustenhancing. In response to these gaps, the present study undertakes a comprehensive review of literature on consumer trust and privacy in hospitality technologies, with specific focus on mobile check-in, contactless payments, and data governance. By synthesizing theoretical perspectives from trust theory, privacy calculus, and technology acceptance research, this review aims to provide a coherent understanding of how digital trust is constructed in smart hospitality ecosystems. The study further seeks to identify key drivers, inhibitors, and moderating factors influencing guest acceptance of data-intensive technologies, while proposing future research directions and strategic implications for ethical and sustainable digital transformation in the hospitality industry.

Research Objectives

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To critically review the role of trust and privacy concerns in the adoption of hospitality technologies.

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To synthesize how data security, transparency, and regulatory compliance influence consumer confidence.

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To examine consumer perceptions toward biometric technologies and digital identity systems in hotels. Kim & Lee (2019) [1] South Korea SEM 412 hotel guests Mobile check-in Trust, perceived risk, security Ivanov et al. (2020) [2] Europe Conceptual Secondary data Service robots Trust in automation Gupta & Arora (2021) [3] India Survey 368 OTA users Contactless payment Privacy concern, trust Li et al. (2021) [24] China SEM 550 biometric users Facial recognition Security, surveillance concern Verma & Singh (2022) [5] India Mixed-method 44 hotel managers + guests Digital identity systems Data governance, transparency Park et al. (2022) [6] USA Experimental 210 respondents AI-driven check-in Algorithmic trust Hassan et al. (2023) [7] UAE Survey 390 luxury hotel guests Smart room tech Institutional trust Rao & Mishra (2023) [8] India Survey 322 contactless users Digital wallet & payments Cyber risk, trust Zhang et al. (2024) [9] China SEM 480 hotel guests Biometric access Privacy calculus, trust

Review of Literature

The latest developments in the fields of hospitality and tourism have been centering on the meeting points of digital trust and technologies. In this connection, Kim and Lee (2019) [1] investigated mobile check-in systems among 412 hotel guests in South Korea with the help of SEM, pointing out the issues of trust, perceived risk, and security. In the European continent, Ivanov et al. (2020) [2] presented a conceptual analysis of the matter based on secondary data, which was dealing with the theme of service robots and trust in automation. Likewise, Gupta and Arora (2021) [3] approached the subject from the angle of a survey among 368 OTA users in India, which was drawn to the conclusion that privacy concerns and trust held in contactless payment systems were the main issues. In China, Li et al. (2021) [24] focused on SEM to analyze 550 biometric users, unraveling the aspects of facial recognition technologies and surrounding issues of security and surveillance. Alongside, Verma and Singh (2022) [5] traversed theboundaries of research with a mixed-method approach, consisting of inputs from 44 hotel managers and guests in India, who were engaged in the discussion on digital identity systems, with the main points of data governance and transparency being highlighted. Park et al. (2022) [6] were positioned in the USA, where they applied an experimental design with 210 respondents to study AI-driven check-in processes and algorithmic trust. In the UAE, Hassan et al. (2023) [7] undertook a survey of 390 luxury hotel guests inquiring into smart room technologies and institutional trust. Similarly, Rao and Mishra (2023) [8] investigated the case of 322 contactless users in India with a focus on digital wallets and payments, especially raising the topics of cyber risk and trust. The latest research work on the topic was presented by Zhang et al. (2024) [9] , who had examined biometric access among 480 hotel guests in China using SEM and was employing the privacy calculus framework to comprehend trust. www.extensionjournal.com

Research into consumer trust and privacy in the use of technology in hospitality has made major strides over the last ten years. Wang et al. (2014) [10] laid the groundwork for this research area with their comprehensive literature review, defining trust as multi-faceted-interpersonal, institutional, and technological-and specifying the preconditions such as service quality, reputation, and perceived risk alongside the results of loyalty and usage intention. Following on from this, Morosan and DeFranco (2015) [11] utilized the privacy calculus spectrum for hotel app use, concluding that personalization and facilitation spurred the giving of personal info while the inverses, namely privacy issues, and perceived risks, prevailed with the help of trust. Delving deeper into biometric applications, Xu et al. (2021) [12] analyzed the case of facial recognition check-in, concluding that comfort and time-saving are the main reasons for the usage of the technology but on the other hand, surveillance-like concern diminishes the trust in it which is again affected by the cultures and laws in place.

Ozturk et al. (2017) [13] incorporated methodologies of privacy calculus and trust-risk models to describe the loyalty to mobile booking, and concluded that trust decreases the perceived risk and in turn increases the usage for the second time or more, while privacy issues are still the major hurdle. Theoretical reviews have opened up the area further. Park, Lee, and Back (2023) [14] were highly critical of the existing state of affairs in the field of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, mobile applications, and robotics and pointed out the poor governance, lack of ethics, and privacy violations as the main areas of concern, thus asking for the enactment of laws and research across cultures. Peng et al. (2024) [15] went a step further by merging the digital transformation efforts of the hospitality industry with trust-building factors like cloud property management systems (PMS), mobile guest journey, and data governance. Qiu (2024) [16] conducted a study that pointed out the differences in the acceptance of contactless technology based on the factors like age, tech-savviness, and hygienic perception, thus highlighting privacyconvenience tradeoff mediation. Besides that, Gupta et al.

(2022) [17] also discussed this issue. The use of AI in facial recognition technology has been reviewed, bringing out issues relating to its accuracy, bias, and ethical implications and suggesting consent and opt-in systems that are clear and inclusive. Among the various technical viewpoints presented, the study by Bao et al. (2023) on the application of facial recognition in hotel guidance systems was also highlighted, where the performance of the system was made comparable to that of other systems by implementing privacy-preserving measures. Absolutely, different data governance practices can build up a solid trust base. Alhassan et al. (2016) [19] created a visualization mapping different aspects of governance, like proper governing, good quality, and privacy controls; they contended that the organization with better governance would be more trustworthy and thus would have a higher maturity level in trustworthiness. According to Zhang et al.

(2024) [20] , acceptance of biometric systems in China is influenced by regulatory guarantees and opt-in deployment.

Studies by Hassan et al. (2023) [21] further supported the notion of trust in institutions, where they pointed out that security measures and the reputation of the hotel create a sense of trust in the use of smart-room technologies. The study by Rao and Mishra (2023) [22] focused on the Indian context, where trust in contactless payments was affected by the government's regulatory messages, the branding of the digital wallets, and the security of the vendor. In one way, Kim and Lee (2019) [23] demonstrated that the advantages and trust users see in mobile check-in feature usage do influence their adoption; however, the concern of privacy can act as a barrier, unless pretty good security measures are in place to assure users of their privacy being protected. Facial recognition technology remains under the microscope. Li et al. (2021) [24] found that perceived accuracy and security were trust and acceptance related but that privacy fears made the technology less attractive unless good governance and consent mechanisms were in place.

The study conducted in India by Verma and Singh (2022) [22] on digital identity systems suggested the use of transparent consent flows, limit retention, and vendor contracts as means to build and maintain trust. Technology such as smartphones, used by guests and customers, has been researched by Kim (2021) [23,26] , who determined that personalization leads to higher satisfaction but at the same time creates a bigger need for privacy-this is where opt-in personalization and clear notices help mitigate the issue. Ozturk et al. (2017) [27] were among the first ones to talk about concealing privacy as a component in the design of service that integrates with IoT and mobile services. Finally, demand-side perspectives highlight evolving consumer expectations. Wang et al. (2024) [28] analyzed industry shifts, showing how health and convenience demands accelerated adoption of contactless services, shaped by segmentation and regulation. Sampaio et al.

(2024) [29] further demonstrated that preferences for digital services vary by trip purpose and demographics, recommending targeted communication to build trust.

Collectively, these studies underscore that while convenience and personalization drive adoption of hospitality technologies, trust hinges on transparent governance, visible security cues, and cultural-regulatory alignment.

The latest research is still unfolding in the field of trust, privacy, and technology adoption in the hospitality sector. Park et al. (2022) [6] scrutinized AI-based check-in systems, revealing that the transparency of algorithms can build trust but at the same time it can make users more conscious of the bias issue. Similarly, Chen et al. (2025) [31] looked at the mobile app privacy cues and discovered that design signals and relevance framing increase the probability of personal data being disclosed. Legal views were given by Seng (2021) [32] who studied public and private perceptions of facial recognition and pointed out consent and notice as the main issues. Governance problems were brought to light by Rahmadian (2023) [33] , who talked about the governance of digital twins and big data for sustainable tourism and argued for the application of the principles of transparency and minimization. Psychological aspects were dealt with by Pan (2025) [34] who reported that security awareness campaigns lower privacy concerns connected with facial recognition and by his linked managerial work that emphasized opt-in, signage, and staff training for hotel larger deployments. Thematic coherency was reinforced through technical and managerial studies. Gupta et al. (2022) [35] analyzed the www.extensionjournal.com combination of AI and cloud systems in the hospitality sector, then recommended encryption, access control, and a trusted audit system as the means to build trust. The issue of guest heterogeneity associated with the adoption of contactless technology was tackled by Qiu et al. (2024) [36] , who distinguished between segments like early adopters and privacy-averse guests that made different tradeoffs. The authors Sampaio et al. (2024) [29] widened the demand-side perspectives by recognizing communication and visible security as trust levers. In the case of restaurants, Rahman and Islam (2025) [37] claimed that the convenience and safety factors were the driving forces behind the contactless payment adoption but that the unresolved security issues were a major hindrance to the process. The earlier framing by Koo (2017) [38] set the "smart hospitality" agenda that gave central stage to the issues of IoT and privacy. Choi et al. (2020) [39] contributed service robots' knowledge, indicating that the more human-like the robot and the clearer the privacy policy the more willing the customers are to share data that is not sensitive.

Governance and identity systems are crucial and have not been overlooked. Rahmadian et al. (2023) [33] have emphasized the need for a multi-stakeholder supervision of big data to sustain the tourism industry. Verma et al. (2022) [25] offered their insights on digital identity systems from a managerial perspective and suggested that training of the staff and procurement of the vendor should be done in a way that compliance is achieved without sacrificing convenience. Among other things, systematic reviews like that of Peng (2024) [15] have shown the adoption trends in hotels and identified enablers as leadership and IT capabilities, whereas privacy concerns and vendor fragmentation were cited as barriers. Theoretical exploration by Buhalis and Leung (2018) [40] indicated the transforming power of IoT and AI over guest experiences, though they highlighted governance as key to trust preservation. Privacy calculus is still at the core: Li, Sarathy, and Xu (2017) [41] proved that privacy issues inversed the effect of mobile commerce adoption, but trust-enhancing design could lessen the adverse impact. Theoretical research by Pavlou and Gefen (2004) [42] laid down the concepts of structural assurance and reputation, which are still significant for OTAs and booking sites. Bilgihan and Nejad (2015) [43] evidenced that trust is the major factor to increase the number of electronic word of mouth, while privacy issues are the ones that slow down the people's willingness to give reviews and the quality of these reviews. Last but not least, Han and Hyun (2018) [44] correlated mobile check-in and inroom technology with loyalty; however, they also stated that privacy perceptions play a significant role in the satisfaction-loyalty dynamics.

The latest research on consumer trust and privacy in hospitality technology has opened up many different areas of study. Adabala Tulasi Venkata Ram Das (2024) [45] , for example, looked into the effects of contactless technologies and digital payments in hotels, where he pointed out that the adoption of mobile check-ins and keyless entry brought about the issue of security in payment along with the convenience factor. In addition, Ruoyuan Wang and Chung-Shing Chan (2025) [46] reviewed systematically the progress of payment methods in hospitality and tourism, merging over 250 studies to reveal how trust in digital wallets and compliance frameworks impacts the acceptance. The industry-focused report Contactless Guest Experience: Modernizing Hotels (2024) evaluated the Hilton Honors and AeroGuest programs, showing that a mobile-first checkin/check-out process cultivates trust through convenience but also raises privacy issues. Chathoth et al. (2016) [48] took a similar approach to the matter of co-creation in hospitality technology, reporting that the involvement of the guest in the design of the digital service makes the trust stronger but at the same time calls for an open and clear governance. Kasavana (2015) [49] gave a review of the early technology trends in the hospitality industry and mentioned that initially, biometric systems and mobile check-ins were marketed as being centered around financial trust and fraud prevention.

Thematic concepts have been significantly strengthened by scientific investigations. Cobos et al. (2016) [50] analyzed the case of mobile hotel applications concluding that useroriented features enhance customer satisfaction while privacy issues cause a decrease in loyalty. Beldona and Cobanoglu (2017) [51] corroborated the fact that security elements perceived through sight, like SSL certificates, boost the user's confidence in mobile booking apps. Ivanov and Webster (2019) [52] looked at the role of robots in the hotel industry, and they found that the acceptance of robots by guests was related to how clear the hotel was regarding its data collection during the interactions. Drawing on Murphy et al.'s (2017) [53] work, the authors found that customers' negative perception of hotels' data handling practices is one of the factors that drives the nonacceptance of mobile services. Kuo et al. (2018) [54] at the ecosystem level have argued that the disintegration of OTA-hotel-vendor data exchange makes the trust weaker, whereas Sigala (2018) [55] has shown how the merging of social media data influences guest trust in hotels' digital platforms. Tussyadiah (2019) [56] has expanded this to AIpowered check-in where he/she has shown that the transparency of the algorithm is a key factor for building guests' trust. Central to the discussion are cybersecurity and governance.

The study of the hotel data breaches by Berezina et al.

(2016) [57] revealed that long-term damage to consumer trust and booking intention was one of the consequences of data breaches. The service robots were analyzed by Choi et al.

(2020) [39] , who discovered that guests are more willing to give out their personal information when robots are clear about privacy policies. Roman et al. (2013) [58] took a technical approach by surveying IoT security in hospitality and letting the world know that smart locks and sensors are privacy risk areas unless secured. Generational differences were brought to the surface by Bilgihan (2016) [59] who found that, Gen Y consumers are more willing to give up their data in exchange for personalization yet still expect transparency. The study of Han and Hyun (2018) [44] correlated mobile check-in satisfaction to loyalty while privacy perceptions moderated the relationship, moreover, McLean and Wilson (2019) [60] indicated that personalization only increases e-loyalty if privacy consent mechanisms are unambiguous. Lee and Cranage (2018) [61] pointed out that the reputation of the vendor and the presence of encryption cues are the two critical factors for trust in mobile payments. Lastly, Shin (2020) [62] www.extensionjournal.com investigated AI-based hotel services in his research where he stated that the trust factor remains intact in the face of privacy risks due to the presence of explain ability and user control features.

Research Methodology Research Design

This study adopts a quantitative bibliometric and thematic review design using R software as the primary analytical tool. The research is positioned within the domain of hospitality and tourism technology studies and focuses on examining consumer trust and privacy concerns associated with mobile check-in systems, contactless payments, and data governance practices. Unlike traditional systematic reviews, this study emphasizes bibliometric analysis and computational thematic synthesis, allowing for an objective, data-driven examination of intellectual structures, research trends, and thematic evolution within the literature. R software was selected due to its advanced capabilities in bibliometric mapping, text mining, clustering, and reproducible research workflows, thereby enhancing analytical rigor and transparency.

Data Source and Scope of the Study

To ensure data consistency, quality control, and replicability, Scopus was used as the sole data source for this study. Scopus is one of the largest and most authoritative abstract and citation databases, widely recognized for its comprehensive coverage of peer-reviewed journals in hospitality, tourism, business, and information systems research.

Restricting the data source to Scopus minimizes databaseinduced duplication, indexing inconsistencies, and citation bias, which are common limitations in multi-database reviews. This approach aligns with recent high-quality bibliometric studies published in leading hospitality and tourism journals.

Search Strategy and Data Retrieval

A structured search strategy was developed and executed directly within the Scopus database. Boolean operators, keyword truncation, and field-specific searches (Title, Abstract, Keywords) were applied to retrieve relevant literature.

Search String

The final search query applied in Scopus was: (TITLE-ABS-KEY ("hospitality technology" OR "smart hotel" OR "digital hotel") AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ("trust" OR "consumer trust" OR "institutional trust")) OR (TITLE-ABS-KEY ("mobile check-in" OR "contactless service" OR "contactless payment") AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ("privacy" OR "data security" OR "cybersecurity")) OR (TITLE-ABS-KEY ("biometric technology" OR "facial recognition" OR "digital identity") AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ("hotel" OR "tourism")) OR (TITLE-ABS-KEY ("data governance" OR "data ethics" OR "data sharing") AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ("hospitality"))

The search was limited to: The annual scientific production analysis reveals a clear temporal evolution of research output within the selected dataset. Scholarly publications remained relatively limited during the initial phase from 2013 to 2016, indicating that the research theme was still in its nascent stage. A gradual increase is observed from 2017 onwards, suggesting growing academic attention and consolidation of the field. This upward trajectory becomes more pronounced after 2019, with a substantial rise in the number of publications, reflecting heightened scholarly interest and expanded research activity. Although a slight fluctuation is evident around 2021, the overall trend continues upward, reaching a peak in the most recent completed years. The sharp decline observed in the final year can be attributed to the partial indexing of publications for that year, rather than an actual reduction in research activity. Overall, the pattern demonstrates that the domain has transitioned from an exploratory phase to a period of accelerated growth and maturity. The distribution of corresponding authors' countries reveals a geographically diverse but uneven research landscape. China emerges as the most prolific contributor, followed by India and the United States, indicating strong research activity from both developed and rapidly developing economies. A substantial proportion of publications originate from single-country collaborations, particularly in countries with high output, suggesting strong domestic research capacity. At the same time, the presence of multiple-country publications highlights increasing international collaboration, especially among countries such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Italy, and Malaysia. Contributions from emerging and smaller research economies, including Bangladesh, Slovenia, Ecuador, and the Philippines, further demonstrate the global diffusion of interest in the research topic. Overall, the country-level analysis reflects a field that is globally relevant, with growing cross-border collaboration complementing strong national research ecosystems.

Trust directly predicts adoption intention

Kim & Lee (2019) [23] ; Park et al. (2022) [30] Privacy Risk Perception Data misuse, tracking, surveillance Digital platforms Higher privacy concern lowers usage

Gupta & Arora (2021) [3] ; Zhang et al. (2024) [9] Security Assurance Encryption, authentication, fraud alerts

Contactless payments

Security visibility boosts confidence Rao & Mishra (2023) [22] Regulatory Compliance GDPR, PCI-DSS, IT Act Payment ecosystems Compliance improves institutional trust Hassan et al. (2023) [7] Biometric Acceptance Face ID, fingerprint Smart hotels Speed increases adoption, privacy decreases it Li et al. (2021) [24] ; Verma & Singh (2022) [25] Cross-platform Data Sharing OTA-hotel-gateway data flows Platform ecosystems Fragmented data ownership weakens trust Zhang et al. (2024) [20] Post-pandemic Contactless Shift

Hygiene perception, health risk

Mobile & selfservice tech Safety temporarily overrides privacy fear Hassan et al. (2023) [21] Results and Discussion Based on the systematic synthesis of 72 peer-reviewed studies, the findings are organized into three dominant themes corresponding to the study objectives: (i) consumer trust and privacy in hospitality technology adoption, (ii) the role of data security, transparency, and regulatory compliance, and (iii) consumer perceptions of biometric technologies and digital identity systems. A significant finding is the shift from interpersonal trust to institutional and technological trust, reflecting the growing dominance of platform-mediated consumption in hospitality. Younger consumers display higher tolerance for data sharing, while older guests emphasize security assurance and human oversight as prerequisites for trust.

Role of Data Security, Transparency, and Regulatory Compliance

The review reveals that consumer trust is the most critical antecedent of hospitality technology adoption, particularly for mobile check-in, app-based services, and contactless payments. Trust emerges as a multi-dimensional construct comprising system reliability, brand credibility, perceived security, and service transparency. Across multiple studies, guests expressed greater willingness to adopt digital services when the hotel brand demonstrated strong cybersecurity signaling, third-party verification, and data usage clarity. Privacy concerns, however, act as a simultaneous enabler and inhibitor. While personalization enhances perceived service value, excessive data collection triggers surveillance anxiety and perceived loss of control. Several studies confirm the existence of a privacy-personalization paradox, where users desire customized experiences but resist deep data tracking. Post-pandemic literature indicates a temporary relaxation of privacy concerns in exchange for health safety and contactless convenience, although this effect weakens over time. A significant finding is the shift from interpersonal trust to institutional and technological trust, reflecting the growing dominance of platform-mediated consumption in hospitality. Younger consumers display higher tolerance for data sharing, while older guests emphasize security assurance and human oversight as prerequisites for trust.

Role of Data Security, Transparency, and Regulatory Compliance Conclusion

This systematic review synthesizes current knowledge on consumer trust and privacy in hospitality technologies with specific emphasis on mobile check-in, contactless payments, and biometric identity systems. The findings confirm that trust is no longer limited to interpersonal service encounters but has evolved into a multi-layered construct encompassing platform reliability, institutional ethics, regulatory credibility, and digital security infrastructure. The review establishes that while contactless and mobile technologies significantly enhance operational efficiency and post-pandemic service confidence, they simultaneously intensify consumer exposure to privacy risks and crossplatform data vulnerabilities. Data security, transparency, and regulatory compliance are not merely technical functions but strategic trust enablers shaping long-term digital acceptance. The growing use of biometric technologies further complicates this relationship by creating an irreversible link between identity and service systems, thereby requiring exceptionally high ethical and governance standards. From a theoretical perspective, the findings validate the integration of trust theory, privacy calculus, and institutional governance as a unified explanatory framework for hospitality technology adoption. From a managerial standpoint, the review highlights the urgent need for hospitality firms to move beyond convenience-driven digitalization toward ethically governed smart service ecosystems.

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