X could be the 202,000th visitor to the international reggae festival Rototom Sunsplash in Benicàssim (Castellón). Already by crossing the enclosure it is possible to know their country or city of origin. Even if you have arrived by public transport or a private vehicle. Whether you stay at the festival campsite or not. Your age and whether you come in the family. What, how much and how you consume during your stay thanks to the cashless system. And this is just a small sample.
On that thin red line that runs between big data (big data analysis) and the Big Brother universe, there is no doubt that a festival like Rototom Sunsplash, with an average attendance of 30,000 people per day, generates a huge amount of data, that channels and manages can be an ally for the festival-goer itself, the organization of the cultural event, promoters, the local tourism sector and even the planet itself.
It is certain that the festivals of the future will be digital, sustainable and efficient or not, say the industry. Also that big data has been installed in the festival scene for several years. But: How can you digest all this information overload, squeeze it out and make it socially, culturally, economically and ecologically profitable? This is where the new system of intelligent festivals that supports and promotes the Valencian Institute of Tourism Technologies (Invat tur) is born, and which will put these cultural mega-quotes on the definitive train of artificial intelligence.
“Festivals are tourism products at the highest level. They cannot be separated from artificial intelligence or the culture of data management,” explains Regional Secretary for Tourism Francesc Colomer. Just as the impact of a cruise or a trade show is measured, “it must be possible to measure the footprint and reward left by a music event; the sector had to have an intelligent festival pilot,” emphasizes Colomer. Born in the Valencian community, this pilot project will make the first smart festivals in Spain Valencian. They cover an upcoming topic. “We anticipate the trend of national tourism, this project is aligned with the government’s smart travel destination policy,” they point out from Invat tur.
Information transformed into measurable data and with real impact
In addition to a sharper quantification of the economic impact they leave behind – the last official census from 2019 put the festival balance sheet of the Valencian scene at 950 million euros – the new model aims to transform the data boom that flows through a festival into a global one and collective tool capable of improving its positioning as a tourist destination and the visitor’s experience. As? Providing updated information about the area, the availability of accommodation, municipal notices of the destination where the festival is taking place, notifications or weather warnings, for example.
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It is about using existing technological tools such as applications, social networks, cashless payment systems or web portals in a coordinated and integrated way and putting them at the service of the sector as a whole.
The goal is for organizers to know the benefits of the model and have a roadmap for its implementation, allowing them to predict what needs to be changed or improved, explains Francisco Morcillo, one of the promoters of this smart festival guide. For the specialist consultant, data has become “the driving force of what is happening” because events not only have a cultural impact, but also tourism and “you have to make the best of it,” he emphasizes.
Thanks to this guide it will be possible to know the impact of festivals on the economy and citizenship by analyzing the events in three categories: large festivals, medium-sized festivals and experiential festivals. “We try to analyze what happens before, during and after the event,” he says.
With this new system, the recently held SanSan Festival, which shares a venue in Benicàssim with Rototom and the FIB, aims to completely digitize the information already managed in the tourism sector. “We sell and manage hotel beds in Benicàssim or Oropesa directly through our website, connecting establishments with our audience to offer a product that guarantees a unique experience,” explains SanSan Director Roberto Recuero. “Our goal is to implement this data communication on a digital level, and now we are taking the first steps,” he says of the new model.
This global platform will also be reflected on the planet. It is planned to reduce the carbon footprint of the macrocite, for example by measuring the transport system used by the public or their recycling habits. Fiachra McDonagh, Solidarity and Green Actions Coordinator at Rototom, talks about the planetary impact of these actions: “When we have data we can act, evaluate what we are doing, know how and why, and make sure our actions have an impact ‘ she says. The festival invests 350,000 euros annually in protecting its green seal. McDonagh believes that by enabling networking with other events, the Invat·tur platform can reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of its environmental policies. In fact, another of the tools she is promoting is automated measurement of the waste generated, as well as sensory measurement of noise.
Security also wins in this project, which aims to optimize the data in order to dimension in detail the number of accesses and the staff; Inform the public about clearer access or offer a mass alert system for the organization. It is also promoting a new wristband with integrated health information that will help improve health contact tracing.
The list of measurable data goes on: it will be possible to query in real time the occupancy of stages and bars, view the programming and receive updated and personalized information about the environment. Everything to outline an edition with a musical poster of 10, safe, agile, efficient, sustainable and 100% tangible.
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