Browsing by Author "Peu Saha"

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From chaos to clarity: investigating the role of mindfulness, mental well-being and spiritual awakening in shaping Kumbh Mela revisit intention
(Emerald Publishing, 2025) Peu Saha; Abhijeet Biswas; Neha Kumari
Purpose – Mental well-being is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle and a positive outlook toward life. For centuries, religiosity and spirituality have played a significant role in supporting mental health. The study explores how the religious festival of “Kumbh Mela” contributes to mental well-being by examining the factors that shape thought transformation and the Kumbh Mela revisit intention (KMRI). Our research is grounded in a contemplative psychology framework to deepen our understanding of these transformative experiences. Design/methodology/approach – We employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to extend the contemplative psychology framework within the context of the religious festivals. A survey was conducted with 635 individuals who visited the Maha Kumbh Mela. Mediation analysis also explored direct and indirect relationships within the model. Findings – Our findings suggest that thought transformation is positively influenced by mental well-being, mindfulness and the acquisition of spiritual and religious knowledge, which ignite KMRI. Furthermore, thought transformation, mindfulness and mental well-being mediate the relationships between the underlying constructs. Research limitations/implications – The study’s findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, local communities, NGOs, saint akhadas, pilgrims and visitors. Originality/value – Many pilgrims participate in the Kumbh Mela for spiritual solace and personal transformation. However, there is limited empirical evidence on how this sacred experience influences psychological resilience, emotional healing, knowledge gain and spiritual awakening. This study makes a theoretical contribution by deepening the understanding of the relationships among mental well-being, mindfulness, spiritual and religious knowledge gain and thought transformation in the context of religious festivals. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited
Seal the deal: unleashing the magnitude of online reviews, website quality and trust for seamless hotel reservations
(Emerald Publishing, 2024) Peu Saha; Abhijeet Biswas
Purpose: The world today is heavily controlled by the content available on the internet, where a one-star rating gain may work wonders for a company and a one-star rating decline can cause huge damage. Online booking platforms provide more freedom, privacy and contact with experienced travelers than physical hotel booking. The study identifies the factors shaping travelers' online hotel booking intention (OHBI). Design/methodology/approach: We utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to expand the horizons of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework in the hospitality sector. The results are based on the data collected from 705 travelers who made online hotel reservations. Findings: The findings demonstrate that online reviews, hotel website quality and hotel website convenience quotient favorably shape prospective tourists' perceived trust, magnifying their inclination to book a hotel online. Website convenience quotient and trust partially mediate the association between the constructs. In addition, the linkage between perceived trust and OHBI is strengthened by promotional offers but weakened by perceived risk. Research limitations/implications: Our findings provide several important implications for hotel managers, prospective travelers, hotel owners, website developers, policymakers, hotel employees, the local community and competitors to expedite the growth of the Indian hotel industry. Originality/value: The literature reveals that website convenience quotient, perceived trust and promotional offers have not received enough attention in the hospitality industry and warrant attention. Our study strives to broaden the scope of the TAM and SOR models to better understand these constructs in the backdrop of the Indian hospitality sector. The study also examines how promotional offers and perceived risk influence the linkages between the underlying constructs. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Seal the deal: unleashing the magnitude of online reviews, website quality and trust for seamless hotel reservations
(Emerald Publishing, 2025) Peu Saha; Abhijeet Biswas
Purpose: The world today is heavily controlled by the content available on the internet, where a one-star rating gain may work wonders for a company and a one-star rating decline can cause huge damage. Online booking platforms provide more freedom, privacy and contact with experienced travelers than physical hotel booking. The study identifies the factors shaping travelers' online hotel booking intention (OHBI). Design/methodology/approach: We utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to expand the horizons of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework in the hospitality sector. The results are based on the data collected from 705 travelers who made online hotel reservations. Findings: The findings demonstrate that online reviews, hotel website quality and hotel website convenience quotient favorably shape prospective tourists' perceived trust, magnifying their inclination to book a hotel online. Website convenience quotient and trust partially mediate the association between the constructs. In addition, the linkage between perceived trust and OHBI is strengthened by promotional offers but weakened by perceived risk. Research limitations/implications: Our findings provide several important implications for hotel managers, prospective travelers, hotel owners, website developers, policymakers, hotel employees, the local community and competitors to expedite the growth of the Indian hotel industry. Originality/value: The literature reveals that website convenience quotient, perceived trust and promotional offers have not received enough attention in the hospitality industry and warrant attention. Our study strives to broaden the scope of the TAM and SOR models to better understand these constructs in the backdrop of the Indian hospitality sector. The study also examines how promotional offers and perceived risk influence the linkages between the underlying constructs. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Unraveling your dream stay with a click: the interplay of emotions, aesthetics, interactivity and opportunistic behavior in online hotel reservations
(Emerald Publishing, 2025) Peu Saha; Abhijeet Biswas
Purpose – An interactive website takes a traveler on a joyous adventure where every click sparks delight and every interaction brings happiness. A traveler’s online booking intentions (OBI) depend on various factors, including perceived website interactivity (PWI), perceived ease of use (PEoU), usefulness and aesthetics. Our study explores the factors that influence users’ emotions and intentions when booking hotels online. Design/methodology/approach – We enhanced the applicability of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework in the hotel industry by employing structural equation modeling (SEM). The hotel booking intentions of 520 travelers who used hotel booking websites were evaluated. The study also investigated the direct and indirect associations in the proposed model through mediation and moderation analysis. Findings – Our findings suggest that users’ positive emotions (PE) are enhanced by perceived usefulness (PU), PEoU and PWI, amplifying OBI. PEoU, PU and PE mediate the relationship between the underlying constructs. Furthermore, the link between PE and OBI is reinforced by the hotel website aesthetics (HWA) but weakened by opportunistic behavior (OPB). Research limitations/implications – The study’s outcomes provide several important suggestions for hoteliers, policymakers, Website developers and potential tourists. Originality/value – Previous studies in the hotel industry have overlooked PWI, PE, HWA and OPB, which warrants an in-depth investigation. This study considers these constructs by expanding the scope of the SOR framework and TAM. In addition, it examines the moderating effects of HWA and OPB on the relationship between PE and OBI. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited