Applying image recognition techniques to visual information mining in hospitality and tourism
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 31 October 2022
Issue publication date: 11 May 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide a critical reflection of the application of image recognition techniques in visual information mining in hospitality and tourism.
Design/methodology/approach
This study begins by reviewing the progress of image recognition and advantages of convolutional neural network-based image recognition models. Next, this study explains and exemplifies the mechanisms and functions of two relevant image recognition applications: object recognition and facial recognition. This study concludes by providing theoretical and practical implications and potential directions for future research.
Findings
After this study presents different potential applications and compares the use of image recognition with traditional manual methods, the main findings of this critical reflection revolve around the feasibility of the described techniques.
Practical implications
Knowledge on how to extract valuable visual information from large-scale user-generated photos to infer the online behavior of consumers and service providers and its influence on purchase decisions and firm performance is crucial to business practices in hospitality and tourism.
Originality/value
Visual information plays a crucial role in online travel agencies and peer-to-peer accommodation platforms from the side of sellers and buyers. However, extant studies relied heavily on traditional manual identification with small samples and subjective judgment. With the development of deep learning and computer vision techniques, current studies were able to extract various types of visual information from large-scale datasets with high accuracy and efficiency. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to offer an outlook of image recognition techniques for mining visual information in hospitality and tourism.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research is partially supported by NSFC (72171058, 72201078, 72121001) and a research grant funded by the University of Macau.
Citation
Liu, X., Nicolau, J.L., Law, R. and Li, C. (2023), "Applying image recognition techniques to visual information mining in hospitality and tourism", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 35 No. 6, pp. 2005-2016. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-03-2022-0362
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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