Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things in Recreation: A Systematic Literature Review

This study aimed to examine the literature on the use of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things in the field of recreation and leisure and present the results within themes identified inductively from the data. We employed a systematic review methodology, consisting of determining appropriate selection criteria, choosing data sources, extracting data, categorizing the results, and reporting. Using the Web of Science database, we identified a total of 69 articles published between 2017 and 2024. After filtering and screening for keywords, 23 full-text articles related to artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things in the field of recreation and leisure were included in the analysis. Relevant studies were evaluated according to year, journal, focus, country, type of technology, recreation area, and results obtained. Findings from the reviewed articles are discussed under six themes: safety, ecosystem, personalized recreation experience, wearable technology, health, and potential recreation and leisure areas. We observed that the most frequently investigated topic in the studies was recreational tourism, with a general focus on outdoor recreation. The studies often referred to nature conservation and planned and safe personal leisure time. In conclusion, we determined that artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technologies have various applications in the field of recreation, but relevant studies are limited.