Chau Keng Fong and Lau Kin Sau

Abstract: The study examines the influence of three product attributes—authentic experiences (AE), social influence (SI), and content richness (CR)—on visitors’ intentions to adopt mobile augmented reality applications (MARA) in promotional events for Asian cultural heritage destinations. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), a theoretical model was developed and empirically validated through a field survey conducted at an urban cultural heritage event in Macau, China. Analysis of 297 valid responses using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) reveal that AE and SI enhance both perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU), subsequently affecting MARA adoption intention. Conversely, CR impacts adoption intention solely through PU. This research fills knowledge gaps in the application of TAM to immersive technologies like MARA within Asian cultural contexts, highlighting the significant role of product attributes. Furthermore, it provides insights on effectively leveraging MARA in cultural destination promotion.

Keywords: Mobile augmented reality applications, immersive technology adoption, Asian cultural heritage tourism, authentic experiences, content richness, social influenceurism, economic impact, impact evaluation, difference-in-differences (DID), DID estimation

Suggested citation: Chau, K. F., & Lau, K. S. (2024). Bridging technology and heritage: Mobile AR applications as efficient tools for cultural destination promotion. Asia-Pacific Journal of Innovation in Hospitality and Tourism, 14(1), 1–21.