Augmented reality and the enhancement of memorable tourism experiences at heritage sites

TLDR

AR has revolutionized tourist engagement, yet empirical evidence on its effectiveness for creating memorable heritage tourism experiences remains scarce. The study investigates whether a smartphone‑based AR app can enhance the memorability of visits to heritage sites such as the Great Wall of China. Using a one‑group pre‑post quasi‑experimental design with 275 participants, the researchers compared MTEs with and without the AR experience delivered through four interrelated AR modules. Results show that AR heritage tourism experiences significantly increase the memorability of visits, with varying intensity across MTE parameters, and that MTE mediates the relationship between tourist attitudes toward AR and behavioral intention.

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) has revolutionized the tourist experience, presenting an opportunity to generate meaningful engagement with unique culture and heritage. Despite the potential, a limited empirical inquiry has assessed the efficacy of AR for the creation of memorable heritage tourism experiences (MTEs). Consequently, this research aims to examine the efficacy of AR for enhancing the memorability of tourism experiences (MTE) at heritage sites, the such as Great Wall of China, using a smartphone app, equipped with four interrelated AR heritage tourism experiences, used by visitors. Applying one-group pre–post quasi-experimental design (n = 275), respondents' MTEs were examined, compared and contrasted with and without the AR experience. Results demonstrate that virtual AR heritage tourism experiences enhance the MTE of a visit to the heritage tourism site, with differences in experience intensity found across the MTE parameters. Furthermore, this empirical research probed into impacts of AR experiences on the satisfaction and dissatisfaction of tourists visiting an outdoor heritage site, and it addressed MTE is a mediator of the relationship between tourist attitude to AR experience and behavioural intention. The paper contributes new understandings and insights to the on-going application and advancement of AR technology in a nature-based tourism context.