Quantifying crowding perception at large events using beacons and surveys

Given the increasing urban population and frenetic mobility, understanding how individuals perceive crowding at large-scale events is crucial for effective crowd management and safety. This study focuses on Tokyo Big Sight in Japan exhibitions to examine participants' perceptions of peak crowding times, locations, and local density, and compare them with the actual measurements. Our methodology integrated questionnaires with beacon tag data. The results showed that participants' perceptions of crowded times and locations aligned well with the actual (measured) crowding data, demonstrating that people can pick crowded moments and locations with better accuracy. However, when asked to select images that closely reflect crowding density conditions within the facility, the association was mostly relative (i.e., context-depending) and lacked absolute accuracy. Furthermore, perceptions of time tend to be biased towards exit times. This study underscores the necessity for event organizers and urban planners to account for the subjective and relative nature of individual crowding experiences, thereby emphasizing the need for adaptive management strategies that consider personal perceptions.