AR-based experience at historic destinations is beautiful: The combined role of experiential engagement and autonomy

As Augmented Reality (AR) reshapes cultural tourism, a critical gap persists in understanding the precise psychological mechanisms through which the aesthetic qualities of AR experiential engagement translate into commercial outcomes at historic destinations. While AR's potential to create immersive interactions is known, the specific causal pathway from artistic engagement to tourist purchase behavior remains empirically underexplored. This study addresses this gap by developing and testing a model grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework. We posited that the AR environmental stimulus at historic destination influences purchase willingness through AR experience characterized by perceived aesthetic augmentation, sense of immersion and perceived realism, while also considering the role of the tourist's autonomy. Drawing on a quantitative study of 729 international tourists analyzed via PLS-SEM, the findings reveal a clear and potent causal chain. These experiential states, in turn, foster a more positive attitude toward the destination's cultural uniqueness and are direct, significant antecedents of purchase willingness. Crucially, the study confirms the influential role of tourists' autonomy factors in this process. The findings provide a strategic blueprint for destination marketers. To enhance economic competitiveness, it is not enough to simply deploy AR; the technology must be leveraged to create experiential engagement and personalized experiences. By doing so, marketers can effectively differentiate their historical sites, attract a wider audience, and convert immersive engagement into valuable commercial outcomes. • Augmented Reality enhances immersive experiences and increasingly attracts interest for boosting purchases at historic sites. • AR engagement (aesthetic augmentation, sense of immersion, perceived realism), and autonomy drives purchase willingness. • Using the S-O-R framework, a PLS-SEM study of 729 tourists found AR engagement and autonomy boost attitude and purchase intent. • Destination marketers enhance historic site competitiveness by integrating AR strategies with personalized experiences.