Translating Tourist Requirements into Mobile AR Application Engineering Through QFD

Augmented reality (AR) has moved into the spotlight of technological developments to enhance tourist experiences, presenting a need to develop meaningful AR applications. However, few studies so far have focused on requirements for a user-centric AR application design. The study aims to propose a method on translating psychological and behavioral indicators of users into relevant technical design elements for the development of mobile AR tourism applications in the context of urban heritage tourism. The research was conducted in three phases to generate a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) model based on interviews, focus groups and questionnaires of international tourists and industry professionals. Key categories, content requirements, function requirements and user resistance were defined for the identification of requirements. The outcomes of the study outline tourist requirements based on behavioral and psychological indicators and propose a method for translating them into technical design elements for tourist mobile AR applications

Value of Augmented Reality to enhance the Visitor Experience: A Case study of Manchester Jewish Museum

There is an increase in Augmented Reality (AR) adoption in the tourism sector and increasingly visitor attractions, museums and art galleries start to use AR for the enhancement of the visitor experience. However, smaller organisations often fear high investments without the proof of concept due to risks of failures. Therefore, the present study uses a small museum in Manchester to investigate the value of AR for different target markets, visitors and the museum itself. Internal and external data collection was conducted using focus groups with eight museum visitors and ten interviews with museum staff as well as teachers. Findings show that AR is considered the way to move forward to preserve history, enhance visitor satisfaction, generate positive word-of-mouth, attract new target markets as well as contribute to a positive learning experience

Value of Augmented Reality at Cultural Heritage Sites: A Stakeholder Approach

As the pace of Augmented Reality (AR) adoption quickens, cultural heritage sites have begun to focus on the opportunities provided by this new and innovative technology. However, small organizations often fear making large investments in AR without a proof of concept due to the risk of failure. Therefore, it is imperative to explore the perceived value of AR from multiple stakeholders’ perspectives to ensure the long-term viability of technological innovations in small cultural heritage organizations. The present study uses a small museum in the UK to explore the perceived value of the implementation of AR within the museum context using a stakeholder approach. Qualitative data were gathered from twenty-four stakeholders via focus groups and interviews. This case study shows that AR has economic, experiential, social, epistemic, cultural & historical, and educational value from both internal and external stakeholders’ perspectives. AR is considered to be a way to preserve history, enhance visitor satisfaction, generate positive word-of-mouth, attract new target markets and contribute to a positive learning experience. This paper contributes to the knowledge gap in the area of stakeholders’ perceived value of AR for cultural heritage tourism

A PLS Analysis of hotel guests’ acceptance of social media networks

Although social media networks (SMNs) have been established for a number of years, research on the acceptance of SMNs within the hospitality industry has been limited. The study uses an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) to assess hotel guests’ acceptance of SMNs within the luxury hotel industry. A total of 258 usable data was collected and path least square analysis using SmartPLS conducted. The findings show that there are five external variables that influence hotel guests’ continued usage of SMNs including accessibility, trust, social influence, enjoyment and perceived benefits. A key contribution of the study is the presentation and validation of a SMN acceptance model and the importance for the luxury hotel industry to integrate mobile services and applications into their marketing strategie

Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and 3D Printing for the Co-Creation of Value for the Visitor Experience at Cultural Heritage Places

Purpose 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

The Impact of Interaction and Ubiquity on Trust, Benefits, and Enjoyment in Social Media Continuance Use

Social media networks are important marketing tools for the acquisition and retention of hotel guests within the intangible luxury hotel industry. Especially with the emergence of smartphones, factors such as ubiquity and interaction become increasingly important to take into account when formulating marketing strategies however, theoretical models integrating interaction and ubiquity to study hotel guests’ intention to continued usage of social media networks are scarce. The present study aims to investigate the impact of interaction and ubiquity on trust, benefits, and enjoyment in social media continuance use by UK luxury hotel guests. A total of 258 usable data were collected and analysed using a partial least square analysis. The findings show that the two social media characteristics, interaction and ubiquity, influence hotel guests’ continued social media network usage through the mediating variables of trust, benefits and enjoyment

Augmented Reality Smart Glasses (ARSG) visitor adoption in cultural tourism

A number of organizations in cultural tourism have started to explore the use of augmented reality (AR) to enhance visitor experience. While many studies have been conducted to identify adoption criteria of mobile AR applications, research exploring the adoption of augmented reality smart glasses (ARSG) is still limited. This paper contributes to the technology adoption literature by investigating attributes of visitor adoption of ARSG in cultural tourism. Twenty-eight interviews were conducted with visitors to a UK art gallery, where they experienced an ARSG application. Findings inform an ARSG adoption framework that integrates societal impact, perceived benefits, perceived attributes of innovation, and visitor resistance as the main themes of ARSG adoption in cultural tourism

Google Glass Creative Tourism Experience: A Case Study of Manchester Art Gallery

Due to the novelty factor of Google Glass, specifically in Europe, only few research attempts were made of the potential of Google Glass. The present study aims to explore visitor’s first time usage behavior of Google Glass within the cultural context. In total, 29 Art Gallery visitors tested the Google Glass prototype application “Museum Zoom” and took part in an interview. The data were analyzed using content analysis and revealed that among all age groups, the majority of visitors had a favourable opinion regarding the usage of Google Glass within Art Gallery settings. This exploratory study revealed that users were able to quickly adjust to the novel interaction and generally perceived the device to enhance the Art Gallery visitors experience though the provision of additional content and easy to use as well as social networking functions. Although technological issues remained, participants were curious to interact with the device

The Key Factors of Relationship Quality between Tour Operators and SME Hotels

The importance of relationship quality for successful future business co-operations is well established; however research on factors of relationship quality within tourism and hospitality is scarce. This study therefore aims to identify factors of relationship quality between tour operators and hoteliers within the Cretan context using qualitative semi-structured interviews. Twenty-six tour operators and hoteliers were interviewed and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. Eight key factors of relationship quality were identified including trust, price, service quality, commitment, communication, mutual goals, customer satisfaction and information quality to influence the future cooperation of tour operators and hoteliers within the Cretan tourism sector. The study provides practitioners with a guideline of factors as to how to successfully co-operate. For academic, it identifies key factors of relationship qualify for the development of the relationship quality model in a hospitality setting

Tourism Distribution Channels in European Island Destinations

Purpose Advances in information communication technologies (ICTs) have changed the tourism distribution channels model as traditional players continue to disappear or change their business model as new players and channels emerge due to technological developments. Therefore, the present study aims to propose a tourism distribution channels model for European Island destinations. Design/methodology/approach Using an exploratory approach, interviews with 34 tourism stakeholders were conducted at ITB Berlin and WTM London in March 2014 and March/November 2016, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The findings revealed that a number of changes have taken place within the distribution channels market over the past six years. The disappearance of incoming travel agents has increased, while new forms of online communication and distribution have appeared. In particular, social media, online review sites, and mobile channels play an increasingly important role for hoteliers. Practical implications ICTs change the online landscape for tourist distribution in Island destinations and practitioners should make use of new online channels and be aware of disappearing tourism players to remain competitive. Originality/value First, this paper provides indications for the increased disintermediation in regard to incoming travel agents within the Cretan hospitality and tourism industry. Second, it investigates the issue of tourism distribution channels using a broad range of key tourism and hospitality players in order to provide a tourism distribution channels model for future reference. Finally, this study offers implications for the development of distribution strategies for tourism businesses and hoteliers in Crete