This research presents a systematic review of the literature on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data in tourism, with an emphasis on Ecuador. The main objective is to analyse approaches from empirical studies, scientific articles and industry reports from the last 20 years. The focus is on AI techniques such as machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision and Big Data analysis methods. These are applied to massive data from travellers and online platforms. The methodology combines a comprehensive systematic literature review of Scopus, Web of Science and Dimensions with a field survey of 25 tourism companies in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca using non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The survey gathered data on AI and Big Data adoption, perceived impact, investment plans and barriers to adoption. The results show that AI and Big Data have broad applications in areas such as market segmentation, experience personalisation, price optimisation and trend analysis. However, adoption gaps exist in developing countries such as Ecuador. Preliminary results suggest great potential to boost the competitiveness and sustainability of Ecuadorian tourism through AI and Big Data by adapting existing approaches to the local context. Future research areas and the need for integrative methodological frameworks are highlighted.