Introduction to Virtual Tourism
A team of researchers from the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) has published latest research with suggestions on using augmented reality as a marketing tool for in-person visits. The work focused on the various dimensions of authenticity, taking as a base scenario an augmented reality, at-home, tourism experience. The researchers identified that online, armchair tourism had grown in popularity recently, as a result of travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Study
The study was carried out by IFTM researchers Mr Chris Zhu Zhengan, Dr Yan Io Man U, Dr Henrique Fátima Boyol Ngan and Ms Rachel Luna Peralta. The findings were featured in the educational paper “Understanding augmented reality marketing in world cultural heritage site, the lens of authenticity perspective”. It was published last month in the net version of the Journal of Vacation Marketing. The research results were based on a web-based questionnaire that had 240 respondents, all from Mainland China. To be eligible for participation, respondents had to verify personal use of an augmented reality application featuring China’s Mount Tai, but additionally had to verify they’d never visited the placement in person.
Spurring Real-Life Tourism
The purpose of the study was to discover the connection between different dimensions of authenticity within the context an augmented reality, at-home, tourism experience, and the way it could impact virtual tourists’ willingness to make an in-person visit to the place. According to the authors, authenticity in tourism generically falls under three headings. The first, defined as ‘objective authenticity’, refers to a tourist’s perception of the attributes of a spot. The second, ‘constructive authenticity’, is a tourist’s own projected notion of the attributes of a toured place. The third heading is ‘existential authenticity’. This puts “more emphasis on a subjective psychological feeling, which is influenced by aspects similar to the interactivity of the experiential process”.
Findings and Results
Findings from the study indicated that respondents’ perceptions related to constructive and existential authenticity “positively” predicted satisfaction regarding their at-home tourism experience, and hence their willingness to go to the actual destination. Perceptions of objective authenticity, alternatively, had “no significant impact” on respondent satisfaction within the context of an augmented-reality, at-home, tourism experience. The study also found that respondent satisfaction was higher when participants reported good levels of existential authenticity, as compared with constructive authenticity.
Enhancing User Experience
The researchers suggested that destination managers consider how you can enhance the user’s experience of augmented reality tools, by resorting to “interesting storytelling” or addition of interactive elements. The authors noted that, “given the richness of the data technology tourism experience”, users might not be in pursuit of absolute objectivity when embarking in an augmented reality, at-home, tourism experience: as an alternative, people might “be more concerned with how they feel” in the course of the activity.
The Researchers
The study was conducted by a team of experienced researchers from IFTM. Mr Chris Zhu Zhengan is a PhD student on the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM). IFTM assistant professor Dr Yan Io Man U holds a PhD from the University of South Australia. Dr Henrique Fátima Boyol Ngan is an assistant professor at IFTM, and specialises in psychology. IFTM lecturer Ms Rachel Luna Peralta has a master’s degree in English and a second master’s degree in management.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study highlights the potential of augmented reality as a marketing tool for in-person visits. By understanding the various dimensions of authenticity within the context of an augmented reality, at-home, tourism experience, destination managers can create simpler marketing strategies to draw visitors. The findings of the study suggest that existential authenticity plays an important role in determining user satisfaction and willingness to go to the actual destination. By enhancing the user’s experience of augmented reality tools, destination managers can increase the probabilities of converting virtual tourists into real-life visitors. The study provides beneficial insights for the tourism industry, and its findings could be applied to develop simpler marketing strategies within the post-pandemic era.
