LEVERAGING EMERGING DIGITAL TOOLS TO ENHANCE SUSTAINABILITY IN LARGE-SCALE CULTURAL EVENTS: CASE OF BOOM FESTIVAL IN PORTUGAL

This dissertation examines the role of emerging digital tools in promoting sustainability in large-scale cultural events, with a specific focus on Boom Festival in Portugal. While sustainability has become a paramount concern in the event management sector, such events posess significant potential to promote eco-friendly practices through the integration of digital tools. Using a convergent mixed-methods approach, quantitative data were collected through an online survey based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) model, applying four key constructs – Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), Social Influence (SI) and Facilitating Condition (FC) - to identify predictors influencing festival attendees’ Behavioural Intentions (BI) to adopt digital sustainability tools. The survey results were complemented by qualitative insights, gathered through structured interviews with stakeholders from Boom Festival’s production and organization team. Partial Least Squares - Structures Equations Modeling (PLS-SEM) indicated that attendees’ BI to adopt digital sustainability tools was strongly influenced by PE and SI. Thematic analysis of the interviews identified four major themes: operational efficiency by integrating digital tools, attendee engagement via gamification features, habit shifts following environmental awareness, and future adoption of emerging digital tools. The combined findings revealed PE as the primary indicator influencing attendees’ BI, while SI, although statistically significant, was not directly mentioned in the interviews. In contrast, both EE and FC were weak and statistically non-significant across both datasets. Methodological triangulation reflected strong convergence for PE between quantitative and qualitative findings. This study contributes to the sustainable event management literature by validating the application of UTAUT2 framework in non-organizational settings and by offering practical guidance for event organizers. In general, it highlights the significance of emerging digital tools in enhancing sustainability and improving attendees engagement in large-scale cultural events.