[01] Katja Siamionava, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA. [02] Lisa Slevitch, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA. [03] Tilanka Chandrasekera, Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA.

Color is one of the most important visual dimensions of the environment as it impacts behaviors and emotions. Additionally, perceptions of color are influenced by cultural backgrounds. The emotional effect of color is particularly important in the hospitality industry because emotions comprise a strong affective component of customer satisfaction. However, no empirical research exists on the role of color in shaping hotel guests’ perceptions from a multicultural perspective. The purpose of the current study was to understand the relationship between color attributes and the perception of colors in the hotel room through cultural differences between Eastern and Western cultures. A quasi-experimental factorial study was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight 3D models of a hotel room viewed using Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Displays. Data on participants’ color perceptions were collected using a survey. The results showed differences in perceptions of color between Western and Eastern cultures. The Eastern culture group had a higher arousal level in the low brightness settings than the Western culture group. Thus, it can be concluded that representatives of the Eastern culture are more sensitive to the brightness of the color than the Western culture group.

Hospitality, Virtual Reality, Colour Perception

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