COVID-19 prevention in hotels: Ritualized host-guest interactions

Keheng Xiang; Wei Jue Huang; Fan Gao; Qin Lai

doi:10.1016/j.annals.2022.103376

COVID-19 prevention in hotels: Ritualized host-guest interactions

Keheng Xiang
, Wei Jue Huang
, Fan Gao
, Qin Lai

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

50 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

As COVID-19 prevention efforts have become normalized, conflicts between guests and hotel staff, who must adhere to government protocols, can have a serious impact on host-guest interactions. Drawing on interaction ritual chain theory, this research explores the ritualized mechanism of host-guest interactions during the pandemic from the perspectives of staff and guests. By combining video ethnography and interviews, this study identifies the ritual ingredients, processes, outcomes, and collective symbols of COVID-19 prevention measures. Based on the attitudes and performance paths of staff and guests, the interaction chain may become longer or shorter, and result in guests becoming “insiders” or “outsiders” and leaving the interaction space. An integrated model of host-guest interactions based on interaction ritual theory is proposed.

Original language	English
Article number	103376
Journal	Annals of Tourism Research
Volume	93
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2022.103376
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Keywords

COVID-19 prevention
Host-guest interaction
Hotel
Interaction ritual chain
Video ethnography

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Development
Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management

More information

10.1016/j.annals.2022.103376

Cite this

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title = "COVID-19 prevention in hotels: Ritualized host-guest interactions",

abstract = "As COVID-19 prevention efforts have become normalized, conflicts between guests and hotel staff, who must adhere to government protocols, can have a serious impact on host-guest interactions. Drawing on interaction ritual chain theory, this research explores the ritualized mechanism of host-guest interactions during the pandemic from the perspectives of staff and guests. By combining video ethnography and interviews, this study identifies the ritual ingredients, processes, outcomes, and collective symbols of COVID-19 prevention measures. Based on the attitudes and performance paths of staff and guests, the interaction chain may become longer or shorter, and result in guests becoming {\textquotedblleft}insiders{\textquotedblright} or {\textquotedblleft}outsiders{\textquotedblright} and leaving the interaction space. An integrated model of host-guest interactions based on interaction ritual theory is proposed.",

keywords = "COVID-19 prevention, Host-guest interaction, Hotel, Interaction ritual chain, Video ethnography",

author = "Keheng Xiang and Huang, \{Wei Jue\} and Fan Gao and Qin Lai",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Soft Science Research Program of Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang, China [Grant Ref. No. 2021C35059 ]; the Philosophy and Social Science Planning Special Project of Zhejiang Province [Grant Ref. No. 20GXSZ26YB ]; the Scientific Research Program of Education Department of Zhejiang Province [Grant Ref. No. Y202044516 ], and the Research Center of Digital Transformation and Social Responsibility Management, ZUCC . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier Ltd",

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month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.annals.2022.103376",

language = "English",

volume = "93",

journal = "Annals of Tourism Research",

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T2 - Ritualized host-guest interactions

AU - Xiang, Keheng

AU - Huang, Wei Jue

AU - Gao, Fan

AU - Lai, Qin

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Soft Science Research Program of Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang, China [Grant Ref. No. 2021C35059 ]; the Philosophy and Social Science Planning Special Project of Zhejiang Province [Grant Ref. No. 20GXSZ26YB ]; the Scientific Research Program of Education Department of Zhejiang Province [Grant Ref. No. Y202044516 ], and the Research Center of Digital Transformation and Social Responsibility Management, ZUCC . Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2022/3

Y1 - 2022/3

N2 - As COVID-19 prevention efforts have become normalized, conflicts between guests and hotel staff, who must adhere to government protocols, can have a serious impact on host-guest interactions. Drawing on interaction ritual chain theory, this research explores the ritualized mechanism of host-guest interactions during the pandemic from the perspectives of staff and guests. By combining video ethnography and interviews, this study identifies the ritual ingredients, processes, outcomes, and collective symbols of COVID-19 prevention measures. Based on the attitudes and performance paths of staff and guests, the interaction chain may become longer or shorter, and result in guests becoming “insiders” or “outsiders” and leaving the interaction space. An integrated model of host-guest interactions based on interaction ritual theory is proposed.

AB - As COVID-19 prevention efforts have become normalized, conflicts between guests and hotel staff, who must adhere to government protocols, can have a serious impact on host-guest interactions. Drawing on interaction ritual chain theory, this research explores the ritualized mechanism of host-guest interactions during the pandemic from the perspectives of staff and guests. By combining video ethnography and interviews, this study identifies the ritual ingredients, processes, outcomes, and collective symbols of COVID-19 prevention measures. Based on the attitudes and performance paths of staff and guests, the interaction chain may become longer or shorter, and result in guests becoming “insiders” or “outsiders” and leaving the interaction space. An integrated model of host-guest interactions based on interaction ritual theory is proposed.

KW - COVID-19 prevention

KW - Host-guest interaction

KW - Hotel

KW - Interaction ritual chain

KW - Video ethnography

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85125443885

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DO - 10.1016/j.annals.2022.103376

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85125443885

SN - 0160-7383

VL - 93

JO - Annals of Tourism Research

JF - Annals of Tourism Research

M1 - 103376

ER -

COVID-19 prevention in hotels: Ritualized host-guest interactions

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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