Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies to Enhance the Visitor Experience in Cultural Tourism

Cultural tourism has been identified as an important economic and social contributor worldwide. Main drivers have been linked to an increasing desire for cultural awareness, meaning-creation and learning. An increasing body of research explores the application of VR and AR in this context. While previous studies outline VR and AR as promising technologies to positively influence the visitor experience, these typically do not focus on how such technologies should be built to suit the context or add value to tourists. This study investigates elements affecting the tourist experience in the cultural tourism context from a theoretical perspective by discussing the impact of VR and AR technology on the visitor’s learning experience. It offers contributions in the area of cultural tourism and consumer psychology, discussing tourist sites mediated by engaging technologies to enhance the visitor experience. Further research is highlighted in the area of VR and AR development through purpose-driven design.