Author: Shina, Chee Kwan Leila
Title: Visible body art in hotel service : perceptions from the hotel executives and employees
Advisors: Kucukusta, Deniz (SHTM)
Degree: M.Sc.
Year: 2022
Subject: Hotels -- China -- Hong Kong
Hotels -- Employees
Body art
Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations
Department: School of Hotel and Tourism Management
Pages: 261 pages : color illustrations
Language: English
Abstract: As body art became more mainstream in recent decades, the hotel industry in Hong Kong has started to accept employees with visible body art at workplace. This study is aimed to provide insights and suggestions to hotels in Hong Kong about the management of employees with visible body art. Qualitative research is carried out in 2022. A total of 29 interviews were conducted with hotel executives and hotel employees with visible body art in Hong Kong, data collected were processed with a content analysis approach.
With the focus on visible body art, including tattoos and piercings, on front of house employees in the hotel industry in Hong Kong. By investigating the current practice and acceptance of visible body art in hotels, to discover the relationship between visible body art and hotel service in Hong Kong. This paper explored the perceptions of the hotel executives, provided an understanding of the overall experiences of employees with visible body art and found out the attitudes and reactions of customers towards employees with visible body art.
The study reveals a positive overall experience of employees with visible body art. However, the experiences did not contribute to a higher work engagement. Positive attitudes and curious reactions were found from customers, and a medium level of acceptance from hotels in Hong Kong. In additional, the results suggest that perceptions changed to negative when body art is highly visible.
Rights: All rights reserved
Access: restricted access

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/12420