Metaverse adoption in hospitality: insights from a phenomenological study of managerial perceptions
Yenal Yağmur, Akın Aksu, Mehmet ÇubukçuoğluPurpose
This study explores senior managers’ perceptions of Metaverse technology adoption in the tourism and hospitality industry and the factors shaping these perceptions.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research design was employed to comprehensively explore managerial views on the Metaverse. Data were collected from 30 managers using a combination of snowball and convenience sampling methods and were subsequently analyzed and interpreted within the framework of transcendental phenomenology.
Findings
The findings indicate that Metaverse adoption does not follow a linear relationship between organizational pressure and adoption; rather, it unfolds as an interactive and multi-level process shaped by executive sensemaking and motivational internalization mechanisms.
Originality/value
This study provides a phenomenology-based understanding of how senior hospitality managers make sense of Metaverse adoption, linking their perceptions to organizational innovation and strategic decision-making. It also offers practical insights by showing that successful Metaverse adoption requires aligning organizational strategies with external pressures while supporting managers’ cognitive and motivational engagement in the process.