Irem Onder Neuhofer
Associate Professor | PhD Program Coordinator
Dr. Irem Onder is an associate professor of hospitality and tourism management at the Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research examines the role of digital technologies, data analytics, and artificial intelligence in tourism and hospitality systems, with particular focus on consumer behavior, online reviews, digital platforms, visual content, and technology-mediated decision-making. Her current work explores how generative AI is reshaping travel search, destination discovery, service evaluation, and knowledge production in tourism and hospitality. Drawing on computational, experimental, and interdisciplinary methods, she studies how technological change influences travelers, organizations, and destinations. Her scholarship offers implications for industry practice, responsible technology use, and destination management. She also serves as the department’s PhD Coordinator and leads initiatives related to AI education, graduate training, and international learning experiences.
Education
Academic Appointments
Recent Honors / Awards
Research Interests
Teaching Interests
- Strategic Planning for Hotel Industry
- Generative AI for Service Business
- Information Technology & Social Media for Hospitality and Tourism
- Generative AI for Business Strategy
- Data Science & Machine Learning
- Hospitality Research
Professional Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irem-onder-neuhofer-82910b345/
Selected Publications
Wang, J., Onder, I., Liang, Y., & Uysal, M. (2026). Designing Smart Menus: A Multi-Method Exploration of AI Integration in Hospitality Guest Experience and Operations. International Journal of Hospitality Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2026.104777
Onder, I. (2026). Agricultural Heritage as a Cultural Moderator of Sustainable Food Tourism Behavior: A Consumer Review Analysis. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2026.2655290
Onder, I. (2026). Accessible AI: Comparing ChatGPT and Traditional Machine Learning for Sentiment Analysis. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 38(5), 1662-1680. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-05-2025-0698
Seth, D., Sheel, A., Onder, I., & Uysal, M. (2026). Cross-border tourism in North America: A hybrid deep learning framework with macroeconomic indicators. Tourism Management, 113, 105320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2025.105320
Dogru, T., Line, N., Hanks, L., Acikgoz, F., Abbott, J. A., Bakir, S., et al. (2024). The implications of generative artificial intelligence in academic research and higher education in tourism and hospitality. Tourism Economics. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548166231204065
Erol, I., Neuhofer (Onder), I., Dogru, T., Oztel, A., Searcy, C., & Yorulmaz, A. C. (2022). Improving sustainability in the tourism industry through blockchain technology: Challenges and opportunities. Tourism Management, 93, 104628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104628
Gunter, U., Önder, I, & Zekan, B. (2020). “Modeling Airbnb demand to New York City while employing spatial panel data at the listing level”, Tourism Management.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.104000
Önder, I. & Treiblemaier, H. (2018). “Blockchain and tourism: Three research propositions”. Annals of Tourism Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2018.03.005