Rethinking sleep quality in hotels: Examining the risk and protective factors associated with travel-related insomnia

•Unhealthy sleep habits at ordinary times contribute to developing travel-related insomnia.•Late sleepers are not vulnerable to travel-related insomnia compared with early risers.•Individual behavioral characteristics also affect sleep while travelling.•Business travelers are more prone to poor sleep quality compared to leisure travelers.•High sensitivity to the hotel sleeping environment predicts insomnia.•Low hotel satisfaction of travelers predicts insomnia. This study attempts to illustrate how traveling affects the sleep and well-being of hotel guests. We collected data from hotel guests and looked at various factors affecting their sleep quality during travel. The particular impact of said variables on insomnia was analyzed using a binary logistic regression. Study results show that the risk factors of developing insomnia while traveling include unhealthy sleep habits at ordinary times, being an early riser, short sleep durations, business trips, and sensitivity to unfamiliar environments. Protective factors include being a late sleeper and being satisfied with the accommodation facilities. The research findings offer specific theoretical and practical implications for improving the sleep experience of hotel guests.