IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jtourh/v6y2025i1p35-d1596115.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Festivals in Age of AI: Smarter Crowds, Happier Fans

Author

Listed:
  • João M. Lopes

    (Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, 3000-132 Coimbra, Portugal
    NECE-UBI—Research Unit in Business Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal)

  • Ilda Massano-Cardoso

    (Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, 3000-132 Coimbra, Portugal
    Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
    CEISUC—Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, 3004-512 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • Camila Granadeiro

    (Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, 3000-132 Coimbra, Portugal)

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a transformative force in various sectors, offering both new opportunities and challenges. In tourism and music events, AI has proven to be a powerful tool for improving the attendee experience, personalizing artist recommendations, optimizing event logistics in real time, and enhancing audience interaction through virtual assistants and immersive visual effects, thus highlighting its transformative potential. This study aims to analyze the impact of applying AI to the experience of consumers at music festivals. In particular, the research examines the impact of AI on the quality of information delivered, the extent of consumer engagement with brands at the event, and the level of trust in the technology. A quantitative methodology was used, collecting 400 responses from Portuguese consumers who attended music festivals. The results show that the quality of information and the AI positively influence customer engagement with the brand. Greater customer engagement, in turn, increases the willingness to use AI solutions. Trust in AI is significantly shaped by the quality of the information and the reliability of the system, which further promotes electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and the willingness to adopt AI. In addition, eWOM plays a key role in encouraging the use of AI technologies. Finally, memorable tourist experiences positively influence the willingness to adopt AI, underlining the importance of experiential factors in promoting adoption. These results highlight the interconnected roles of information quality, trust, involvement, and user experiences in shaping attitudes toward artificial intelligence applications. This study expands the literature by analyzing how AI-driven information quality influences consumer trust and engagement, thus emphasizing the need to optimize these factors for better festival strategies. It highlights the link between trust and positive eWOM, showing that trust based on high-quality information enhances the festival’s reputation and attracts participants. A key contribution is its exploration of how trust and eWOM influence AI adoption at future festivals, which offers insights to boost credibility and acceptance. Lastly, it provides strategic guidelines that improve attendee experience and festival management.

Suggested Citation

  • João M. Lopes & Ilda Massano-Cardoso & Camila Granadeiro, 2025. "Festivals in Age of AI: Smarter Crowds, Happier Fans," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:6:y:2025:i:1:p:35-:d:1596115
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/6/1/35/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/6/1/35/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Grewal, Dhruv & Roggeveen, Anne L. & Nordfält, Jens, 2017. "The Future of Retailing," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 1-6.
    2. Virginica Rusu & Cristian Rusu & Nicolás Matus & Federico Botella, 2023. "Tourist Experience Challenges: A Holistic Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-32, August.
    3. Reema Nofal & Pelin Bayram & Okechukwu Lawrence Emeagwali & Lu’ay Al-Mu’ani, 2022. "The Effect of eWOM Source on Purchase Intention: The Moderation Role of Weak-Tie eWOM," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-20, August.
    4. Ivo Rodrigues & João M. Lopes & Ana Borges & José Oliveira & Márcio Oliveira, 2021. "How Can Gamified Applications Drive Engagement and Brand Attitude? The Case of Nike Run Club Application," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, September.
    5. Ana-Maria Ionescu & Flavius Aurelian Sârbu, 2024. "Exploring the Impact of Smart Technologies on the Tourism Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-23, April.
    6. Shuxian Li & Shan Jiang, 2023. "The Technology Acceptance on AR Memorable Tourism Experience—The Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ngui Min Fui Tom, 2020. "Crashed! Why Drone Delivery Is Another Tech Idea not Ready to Take Off," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(7), pages 251-251, July.
    2. Jingjing Wu & Yiwei Chen & Lin Hu & Anxin Xu, 2022. "Influence Factors on Consumers’ Instant Cross-buying under Supermarkets’ Cross-border Integration: From the Perspective of the Elaboration Likelihood Model," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(3), pages 21582440221, September.
    3. Pozharliev, Rumen & De Angelis, Matteo & Rossi, Dario & Bagozzi, Richard & Amatulli, Cesare, 2023. "I might try it: Marketing actions to reduce consumer disgust toward insect-based food," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 149-167.
    4. Gilboa, Shaked & Mitchell, Vince, 2020. "The role of culture and purchasing power parity in shaping mall-shoppers’ profiles," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    5. H. R., Ganesha & Aithal, Sreeramana & P., Kirubadevi, 2020. "Changes in Consumer Perspective towards Discount at Brick-and-Mortar Stores owing to Emergence of Online Store Format in India," MPRA Paper 104023, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Joerß, Tom & Hoffmann, Stefan & Mai, Robert & Akbar, Payam, 2021. "Digitalization as solution to environmental problems? When users rely on augmented reality-recommendation agents," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 510-523.
    7. Sebald, Anna Kathrin & Jacob, Frank, 2020. "What help do you need for your fashion shopping? A typology of curated fashion shoppers based on shopping motivations," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 319-334.
    8. Gunjan Malhotra & Vimi Jham & Nidhi Sehgal, 2022. "Does Psychological Ownership Matter? Investigating Consumer Green Brand Relationships through the Lens of Anthropomorphism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-15, October.
    9. Ekström, Karin M. & Jönsson, Håkan, 2022. "Orchestrating retail in small cities," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    10. Ionut Anica-Popa & Liana Anica-Popa & Cristina Radulescu & Marinela Vrincianu, 2021. "The Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Retail: Benefits, Challenges and a Dedicated Conceptual Framework," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(56), pages 120-120, February.
    11. Sunday C. Eze & Vera C. A. Chinedu-Eze & Hart O. Awa, 2021. "Key Success Factors (KSFs) Underlying the Adoption of Social Media Marketing Technology," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, April.
    12. Christiane Lehrer & Manuel Trenz, 2022. "Omnichannel Business," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(2), pages 687-699, June.
    13. Stefan Hoffmann & Tom Joerß & Robert Mai & Payam Akbar, 2022. "Augmented reality-delivered product information at the point of sale: when information controllability backfires," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 743-776, July.
    14. Heller, Jonas & Chylinski, Mathew & de Ruyter, Ko & Mahr, Dominik & Keeling, Debbie I., 2019. "Let Me Imagine That for You: Transforming the Retail Frontline Through Augmenting Customer Mental Imagery Ability," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 94-114.
    15. TANASE, George Cosmin, 2021. "Augmented Marketing: Delivering Tech-Empowered Human Interaction," Romanian Distribution Committee Magazine, Romanian Distribution Committee, vol. 12(2), pages 28-32, August.
    16. Sharma, Piyush & Ueno, Akiko & Kingshott, Russel, 2021. "Self-service technology in supermarkets – Do frontline staff still matter?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    17. Yu, Yining & Zhou, Xinyue & Wang, Lei & Wang, Qiuzhen, 2022. "Uppercase Premium Effect: The Role of Brand Letter Case in Brand Premiumness," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 335-355.
    18. Ujala Ehsan & Hafiz Fawad Ali & Rabia Shahid, 2019. "Innovative Temporary Retailing in Fashion Involvement: Analyzing Youngsters Buying Behavior towards Pop-up Fashion Stores," Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, International Research Alliance for Sustainable Development (iRASD), vol. 7(1), pages :45-61, March.
    19. Rizzi, Francesco & Gigliotti, Marina & Runfola, Andrea & Ferrucci, Luca, 2022. "Don't miss the boat when consumers are in-store! Exploring the use of point-of-purchase displays to promote green and non-green products," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    20. .Ibrahim Halil Efend.iou{g}lu & Gokhan Akel & Bekir Deu{g}.irmenc.i & Dilek Aydou{g}du & Kamile Elmasou{g}lu & Hande Begum Bum.in Doyduk & Arzu c{S}eker & Hatice Bahc{c}e, 2023. "The Mediating Effect of Blockchain Technology on the Cryptocurrency Purchase Intention," Papers 2310.05970, arXiv.org.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:6:y:2025:i:1:p:35-:d:1596115. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.