Task To Tech: An Exploration of Generative Ai in Tourism Marketing through Student Experiments and Practitioner Interviews

Authors

  • Rifki Rahmanda Putra Politeknik Pariwisata NHI Bandung
  • Dicky Arsyul Salam Politeknik Pariwisata NHI Bandung

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36276/mws.v24i1.945

Keywords:

Generative AI, Tourism, Marketing

Abstract

This study investigates the adoption and impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in tourism marketing, exploring the intersection of technology performance, user adoption, and task suitability through the dual perspectives of emerging talent and established professionals. A multi-method research design was employed, combining a quasi-experiment with higher education tourism students and semi-structured interviews with industry practitioners. The experiment compared the performance of a control group against an AI-prompted group on standardized marketing tasks. The interviews explored real-world adoption drivers, guided by an integrated framework of Task-Technology Fit (TTF) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Experimental results demonstrate that GenAI significantly enhances efficiency across all tasks. However, its impact on quality is task-dependent: it modestly improves long-form text, has a neutral effect on short-form content, and markedly decreases the quality of visual design outputs. The qualitative findings reveal that practitioner adoption is primarily driven by high TTF and strong Performance Expectancy. The study also identifies Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, and Facilitating Conditions as key factors, while highlighting Digital Literacy as a critical, overarching moderator that governs the effective utilization of AI tools. The study advocates for a fundamental shift in tourism education and professional development toward fostering critical AI literacy to ensure technology is leveraged as a collaborative tool that augments, rather than compromises, strategic and creative quality.

Author Biographies

Rifki Rahmanda Putra, Politeknik Pariwisata NHI Bandung

Rifki Rahmanda Putra, is a tourism academic based in Bandung Regency, West Java. He has been a lecturer at Politeknik Pariwisata NHI Bandung since 2022. Rifki earned his Bachelor’s degree in Resort & Leisure Management from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (2018) and his Master’s degree in Sustainable Tourism from Universitas Padjadjaran (2020). In addition to his academic role, he is also a certified Competency Assessor at National Professional Certification Authority (BNSP). Since 2019, he has been actively publishing his research at national and international levels, focusing on sustainable tourism, tourism planning, community-based tourism, tourism destinations, and tourist behavior. Email: Rifki@poltekpar-nhi.ac.id. Scholar ID: nJ2GJNsAAAAJ. ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1982-2613.

Dicky Arsyul Salam, Politeknik Pariwisata NHI Bandung

Dicky Arsyul Salam is a Lecturer at Politeknik Pariwisata NHI Bandung with expertise in tourism, recreation, and marketing. He holds a master's in International Tourism & Hospitality Management from Leeds Beckett University, UK. His research focuses on tourist preferences, service experience design, and the application of generative AI in the tourism industry. He is a Certified Professional Marketer (Asia) and Certified Trainer who has also helped formulate the Indonesian National Competency Standard (SKKNI) for tourism marketing consultancy. Email: dicky@poltekpar-nhi.ac.id. Scholar ID: 2CA2YcEAAAAJ. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7475-437X.

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Published

2026-05-18

How to Cite

Putra, R. R., & Salam, D. A. . (2026). Task To Tech: An Exploration of Generative Ai in Tourism Marketing through Student Experiments and Practitioner Interviews. Media Wisata, 24(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.36276/mws.v24i1.945

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Vol. 24 No. 1 (2026): Media Wisata

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