Generative AI-Destination Marketing: Do Privacy Concerns and Justification Matter?

This study examines the impact of generative AI-powered recommendations on potential tourists’ perceptions, focusing on the interplay between social presence and privacy concerns. Building upon social presence theory and privacy issues, we explore whether the positive effects of traditional human elements in travel images persist in the context of AI-generated content. We investigate how privacy concerns influence the reception of these recommendations in the age of AI. Our research employs a three-way experimental design that applies to five studies, addressing social presence, privacy concerns, and privacy justification. The findings indicate that while social presence enhances positive perceptions, privacy concerns significantly mediate this effect, potentially reversing the traditionally favorable reception of human elements in travel images. This study provides theoretical and practical insights, suggesting that Destination Marketing Organizations must strategically navigate the dual challenges of leveraging AI advancements while addressing travelers’ privacy concerns and privacy justification to optimize marketing effectiveness.