Can Gamification and Augmented Reality (AR) Revitalize Declining Destinations? Investigating its Impact on Tourist Attitudes and Behavior

Advancements in augmented reality (AR) enable declining areas to boost tourism and the local economy by engaging visitors through AR-based travel games. However, the effectiveness of this innovative tourism approach has not been fully examined in declining areas. This research focuses on the influence of AR gamification experience using the tri-component attitude model. Study 1 qualitatively identified the three primary consequences as place attachment, destination knowledge, and behavioral intentions, respectively. Building on these results, a research model was developed and quantitatively tested in Study 2. Both online and field surveys were administered to first time visitors who participated in AR-based tourism games. The results demonstrate that gamification of AR-based tourism content has a positive impact on place attachment and destination knowledge, which positively affect both replaying and revisit intentions. This study highlights the role of AR technologies in revitalizing lesser-known destinations by analyzing the cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects.