This study aims to explore the impact of sustainable event management and smart technologies on enhancing visitor satisfaction in China’s tourism sector, as the industry increasingly adopts such practices to boost competitiveness. It delves into specific aspects: sustainable management covers waste management, renewable energy, and water conservation; smart technologies include AI-driven management, digital ticketing/payment options, and AR/VR applications. Data was collected via an online survey with 120 individuals who had attended an event in China, and statistical analysis using IBM SPSS tested the hypotheses. Results show renewable energy, water conservation, AI-based management, and digital ticketing/payment positively influence visitor satisfaction, while waste management and AR/VR applications do not. These findings identify key focus areas for the tourism industry, challenge existing views on the uniform impact of sustainability and technology on satisfaction, and provide valuable insights for industry practices and academic research.