The rapid development of virtual reality (VR) technology offers opportunities for a widespread consumption of VR tourism content. It also presents challenges to better understand the effectiveness of VR experience in inducing more favorable attitude toward tourism destinations and shaping visitation intention. Based on two studies, one conducted in Hong Kong with 202 participants and another in the United Kingdom with 724 participants, this research identified several positive consequences of the sense of presence in VR experiences. First, the feeling of being in the virtual environment increases enjoyment of VR experiences. Second, the heightened feeling of being there results in stronger liking and preference in the destination. Third, positive attitude change leads to a higher level of visitation intention. Therefore, this study provides empirical evidence to confirm the effectiveness of VR in shaping consumers' attitude and behavior.

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Pokémon Go was the first mobile augmented reality (AR) game to reach the top of the download charts of mobile applications. However, little is known about this new generation of mobile online AR games. Existing theories provide limited applicability for user understanding. Against this background, this research provides a framework based on uses and gratification theory, technology risk research, and flow theory. The proposed framework aims to explain the drivers of attitudinal and intentional reactions, such as continuance in gaming or willingness to invest money in in-app purchases. A survey among 642 Pokémon Go players provides insights into the psychological drivers of mobile AR games. The results show that hedonic, emotional, and social benefits and social norms drive consumer reactions while physical risks (but not data privacy risks) hinder consumer reactions. However, the importance of these drivers differs depending on the form of user behavior.

Latest mobile technologies have revolutionised the way people experience their environment. Recent research explored the opportunities of using augmented reality (AR) in order to enhance the user experience however, there is only limited research on users' acceptance of AR in the tourism context. The technology acceptance model is the predominant theory for researching technology acceptance. Previous researchers used the approach of proposing external dimensions based on secondary literature; however missed the opportunity to integrate context specific dimensions. This paper therefore aims to propose an AR acceptance model in the context of urban heritage tourism. Five focus groups, with young British female tourists visiting Dublin and experiencing a mobile AR application, were conducted. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and revealed seven dimensions that should be incorporated into AR acceptance research including information quality, system quality, costs of use, recommendations, personal innovativeness and risk as well as facilitating conditions.

Augmented reality (AR) has been increasingly implemented to enhance visitor experiences, and tourism research has long understood the importance of creating memorable experiences, leading to the research era of experience economy. Although technology-enhanced visitor engagement is crucial for science festivals, research focusing on visitor engagement through AR using the experience economy perspective is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine how the educational, esthetics, escapist and entertainment experience using AR affect visitor satisfaction and memorable experience, and eventually, lead to visitor engagement with science experiences in the context of science festivals. A total of 220 data inputs were collected as part of the European City of Science festivities and Manchester Science Festival 2016 and analyzed using structural equation modelling. Findings show that the four realms of experience economy influence satisfaction and memory and, ultimately, the intention for visitor engagement with science research at science festivals. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are presented and discussed.

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The increasing use of wearable devices for tourism purposes sets the stage for a critical discussion on technological mediation in tourism experiences. This paper provides a theoretical reflection on the phenomenon of embodiment relation in technological mediation and then assesses the embodiment of wearable augmented reality technology in a tourism attraction. The findings suggest that technology embodiment is a multidimensional construct consisting of ownership, location, and agency. These support the concept of technology withdrawal, where technology disappears as it becomes part of human actions, and contest the interplay of subjectivity and intentionality between humans and technology in situated experiences such as tourism. It was also found that technology embodiment affects enjoyment and enhances experience with tourism attractions.

This paper aims to propose a value co-creation framework through examining the opportunities of implementing augmented reality, virtual reality and 3D printing in to the visitor experience in the cultural heritage places. Design/methodology/approach This study proposes the conceptual model of value co-creation using a case study approach by presenting some cases of a cultural heritage place in UK. Findings Findings suggest that the effective use of multiple technologies in the context of cultural heritage places contributes to the co-creation of value for both cultural heritage organisations and also for visitors' pre-visit, onsite and post-visit experience. Businesses can benefit from increased spending, intention to return and positive word-of-mouth while visitors receive a personalised, educational, memorable and interactive experience. Practical implications Cultural heritage places have to find new ways to in order to survive increasingly fierce competition. Using technology and the concept of value co-creation can prove to be a valuable concept in an attempt to attract new target markets, enhance visitors' experience, create positive word-of-mouth and revisit intentions. Originality/value Recently, increased importance has been placed on the co-creation of value to account for consumers interest in playing part in the development of services and products recently. This research takes a holistic approach using augmented reality, virtual reality and 3D printing from value co-creation perspective.