Evaluating visitor experience of digital interpretation and presentation technologies at cultural heritage sites:a case study of the old town,Zuoying

Digital technologies are increasingly used in the interpretation and presentation process at cultural heritage sites,shifting the manner of heritage display from previous ways,which tended to be monolithic and static,to a more diversified,experiential,and interactive approach and enabling new connections between heritage and the public.Digital experience is gradually becoming an important component of visitors’heritage experience.However,little attention has been paid to the influence and effects that these technologies have on the visitor experience,and a corresponding measurement framework for the heritage digital experience is still lacking.To contribute to the design,implementation,and management of digital display systems at cultural heritage sites,this research aims to evaluate visitors’expectations,acceptance,and experience of digital interpretation and presentation technologies.A mixed methodology,combining questionnaires based on a digital experience evaluation framework and semi-structured interviews,was adopted and used in Old Zuoying City(OZC),a typical heritage site for the application of digital display technologies in Taiwan.Our study indicates that digital display technologies received high acceptance from heritage visitors and had a positive impact on some specific aspects,such as encouraging their exploration of and further learning about the site,helping them better visualize the richness of heritage,and creating new experiences of perceiving,engaging,and communicating with history.In addition,based on the survey findings,a number of recommendations for the current stage of digital display design are presented.The survey results and evaluation framework can be used as a reference for other research on heritage visitors and to improve digital interpretation and presentation design.

Distance decay of place attachment and perceived authenticity of mountain tourism destinations in China

Place attachment has been a research focus in the fields of park and recreation management.Place attachment plays an important role in promoting sustainable development of parks and mountain tourism destination,however,there are limited studies that identified the spatial patterns of place attachment,especially in the context of mountain tourism destinations in China.Also,the geospatial spectrum of visitors is usually broad,examining the multivariate relationships among spatial proximity,perceived authenticity,and place attachment are essential for mountain tourism destinations to promote destination image and strengthen emotional bonding with targeted visitor groups.In this study,we selected an iconic and highly visited park,Jiuzhai Valley National Park in China,as our study site and conducted an on-site visitor survey to collect 557 samples.Study uses factor analysis and the structure equation model to analyze the relationship among spatial proximity,perceived authenticity,and place attachment.Results validate the two-dimension structure of place attachment and perceived authenticity.Study findings suggest that spatial proximity has significant impacts on existential authenticity and place identity,but has no significant impacts on place dependence.Perceived authenticity has a positive impact on place attachment.Study results advance the theories of place attachment and provide effective strategies to enhance emotional attachment between visitors and mountain tourism destinations.

Impacts of COVID-19 on tourism and management response from Banff National Park,Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges to the tourism sector globally.We investigated changes in visitor demographics,satisfaction level,and its determinants pre-and peri-COVID-19.Data were collected using questionnaire surveys in 2019 and 2021 within Banff National Park(BNP).The data analyses were based on a sample size of 1183 respondents by conducting factor analysis,correlation analysis and stepwise regression analysis.Results highlight that there were fewer international visitors and more local and domestic visitors during the pandemic.Park attributes were evaluated at a higher satisfaction level peri-COVID-19.The quality of the Park facilities and services were the most important satisfaction determinants pre-and peri-COVID-19,and all the Park COVID-19 measures and actions received positive experience from visitors.This research fills this knowledge gap by developing a better understanding in the change of visitor demographics and satisfaction level in BNP under the context of the pandemic.It also provides implication for both scholars and practitioners to understand the impacts of the pandemic on Park visitation.The study can provide insights for utilizing the pandemic as a transformative strength and for mitigating its negative impact on tourism industry.

Visiting and Learning:The Museum Becomes Immersive

The mission to collect significant and valuable objects and to preserve them in a specially dedicated place,assumes various and different characteristics over the centuries.Nowadays the museum,from a privileged place of conservation and exhibition,is increasingly establishing itself as a powerful medium of social communication and commercial and tourist enhancement.