Generative AI-Assisted Marketing Capabilities among Tourism MSMEs in Mandalika: A Community Training and Mentoring Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59422/lp.v4i04.1676Keywords:
entrepreneurial marketing, generative artificial intelligence, tourism enterprises, marketing capability, mandalikaAbstract
Micro, small, and medium enterprises in Mandalika tourism area, Central Lombok, face intensifying competition as the destination attracts more domestic and international visitors, yet many business owners still rely on informal and irregular marketing and have limited experience with generative artificial intelligence. This community service program aimed to strengthen the entrepreneurial marketing capability of tourism micro, small, and medium enterprises through training and mentoring based on generative artificial intelligence. The program was conducted from 17 to 19 May 2026 and involved 15 business owners from six business types, selected purposively. It combined participatory workshops, hands-on practice, and individual mentoring, and was evaluated with a one-group pre-test and post-test design), a knowledge test, a capability questionnaire covering five dimensions, and a four-week follow-up. Data were analyzed descriptively and with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The mean knowledge score rose from 43.7 to 82.0, and the mean entrepreneurial marketing capability score rose from 2.48 to 4.05 on a five-point scale (p < .001, r = .88), with the largest gains in content innovation and resource leveraging. At the four-week follow-up, participants self-reported more regular marketing practices: 13 of 15 (86.7%) posted at least three times per week, 12 (80.0%) held a documented content plan, and 13 (86.7%) offered English product descriptions. Participants also detected inaccurate machine-generated output and corrected it through verification. These observed capability gains suggest that generative artificial intelligence, when combined with an entrepreneurial marketing mindset and human verification, resource-limited tourism enterprises improve their marketing capability. Because the study had no comparison group and did not measure sales or revenue, effects on business competitiveness remain untested. Continued mentoring and controlled evaluation are recommended.
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