THE USE OF EYE TRACKING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN ASSESSING THE HOTELS WEBSITE DESIGN AESTHETIC ELEMENT: THE CASE OF ALGERIAN HOTELS WEBSITES

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the aesthetic quality of Algerian hotel websites and their ability to create a positive first impression, which is crucial for user engagement. The research focuses on identifying design strengths and weaknesses to propose actionable improvements for enhancing user experience. Theoretical Framework: The study integrates Eye Tracking (ET) technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze visual engagement and design aesthetics. Marriott Bonvoy®'s website serves as a benchmark, providing a standard for effective aesthetic design. Method: A content analysis was conducted on four Algerian hotel websites based in Constantine, utilizing ET-generated heatmaps and AI-derived visual indices, such as clarity scores, to evaluate design performance. Results and Discussion: The analysis revealed that Marriott Bonvoy® demonstrated superior aesthetic design, followed by the local three-star El Bey Hotel, which outperformed other local websites in design quality. Despite its relative success, El Bey and the other hotels exhibited areas requiring improvement, highlighting gaps in visual hierarchy, layout coherence, and clarity. Research Implications: The findings emphasize the need for Algerian hotel managers to prioritize design aesthetics as a key component of their digital strategy. Implementing the suggested improvements could enhance user experience and competitiveness in the hospitality sector. Originality/Value: This study uniquely combines ET and AI to evaluate website design in the Algerian hospitality context, providing actionable insights for improving digital engagement. It contributes to the growing body of research on user-centered web design in emerging markets.