Shaping the Journey: How GenAI-enabled Mobile Interfaces Transform Visitor Experiences in Tourism Contexts

Abstract

Drawing on Gestalt theory and cognitive load theory, this paper takes an exploratory qualitative approach to understanding users’ perceptions and expectations of GenAI-enabled mobile apps for tourism. Methodologically, 27 users of travel apps were interviewed using semi-structured interviews to evaluate visual and functional aspects of a conceptual app design. Results showed that users have service quality expectations, visual appeal, and enjoyment, driven by intuitive navigation, visual consistency, and cognitive load. Visual design was found to be an aesthetic attribute, with expected enjoyment related to simplicity, interactivity, and clarity. Findings suggest that users assess such technologies and form expectations based on the anticipated interplay among visual, functional, and interactive elements. This paper bridges perceptual and cognitive approaches to inform tourism research by showing how conceptual app designs can evoke user expectations early in innovation processes. Results offer a theoretically grounded guide to GenAI-enabled tourism app designs that align with user expectations, enabling experience transformation in emerging tourism markets.