Getting back to human touch: habit and change decisions during mobile device intermediations at events

Purpose As mobile device use in the events industry increases worldwide, an essential component for successful events is creating a unique experience. One way to enhance entertainer and attendee experience is by offering a phone-free space to enjoy an event. This study aims to examine mobile device habits and attendee willingness to adopt a mobile locking mechanism product at events and festivals. Design/methodology/approach Analysis of variance and regression analyses were used to test the research questions using data collected from 299 attendees recruited through an online research company. Findings Results reveal that mobile device habits are significantly related to the adoption of the phone locking product at events. Practical implications This study provides contributions to event planners to offer distraction-free settings that provide an overall escapist experience for attendees. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to empirically examine the role of mobile device habits and willingness to adopt a phone-locking device with event attendees.