The role of augmented reality in improving the experiential marketing in tourism destination

Predmet istraživanja ove doktorske disertacije uključuje marketing doživljaja uz potporu proširene stvarnosti, zadovoljstvo turističkim doživljajem i lojalnost turista. Cilj istraživanja ove doktorske disertacije je analizirati i proširiti teorijske i praktične spoznaje o marketingu doživljaja te istražiti mogućnost korištenja proširene stvarnosti u funkciji marketinga doživljaja da bi se postiglo zadovoljstvo turista doživljajem u turističkoj destinaciji i njihova lojalnost. Za navedeno je postavljen konceptualni model, a za testiranje odnosa varijabli u modelu provedeno je istraživanje primjenom metode eksperimenta te metodom ispitivanja. Podaci su analizirani korištenjem univarijatnih, bivarijatnih i multivarijatnih statističkih metoda. Metodama deskriptivne statističke analize opisani su uzorci pilot-istraživanja i glavnog istraživanja tj. utvrđene su osnovne socio-demografske karakteristike ispitanika. Izračunavanjem osnovnih parametara deskriptivne analize ocijenjeni su konstrukti, dimenzije i varijable konceptualnog modela. Metodama bivarijatne statističke analize, odnosno matricom korelacije utvrđena je povezanost između varijabli, što se koristila kao osnovica za provođenje faktorske analize. U okviru multivarijatne statističke analize provedena je eksploratorna faktorska analiza, analiza valjanosti i pouzdanosti pomoću Cronbach alpha koeficijenta te modeliranje strukturalnim jednadžbama. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju na to da: (1) postoji pozitivan utjecaj zadovoljstva turističkim doživljajem na lojalnost turista, (2) marketing doživljaja ima pozitivan utjecaj na zadovoljstvo turističkim doživljajem, (3) marketing doživljaja ima nešto manji, ali pozitivan utjecaj na lojalnost turista, (4) prihvaćanje tehnologije proširene stvarnosti ima moderatorski utjecaj na odnos između marketinga doživljaja i zadovoljstva turističkim doživljajem, i (5) da u ulozi pružatelja doživljaja, sustav proširene stvarnosti pozitivno utječe na emocionalni modul, modul razmišljanja i modul akcije.The research area of this doctoral thesis includes augmented reality experiential marketing, tourist experience satisfaction and tourist loyalty. The objective of doctoral thesis is to analyse and expand the theoretical and practical knowledge of experiential marketing and to explore the possibility of using augmented reality in the as an experience provider to achieve the tourist experience satisfaction and their loyalty. For testing the relationship between variables, conceptual model was set and the research was conducted using the experiment method and the survey method. Data were analysed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical methods. Pilot and main research samples were described (the basic socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents were determined) using descriptive statistical analysis methods. The constructs, dimensions and variables of the conceptual model were evaluated by calculating the basic parameters of the descriptive analysis. Bivariate statistical analysis methods (correlation matrices established the correlation between variables) were used as the basis for the implementation of factor analysis. Within the multivariate statistical analysis, exploratory factor analysis, validity and reliability analysis were performed using the Cronbach alpha coefficient and structural equation modelling. The results obtained indicate that: (1) there is a positive influence on the tourist experience satisfaction on the tourist loyalty, (2) experiential marketing has a positive impact on the tourist experience satisfaction, (3) experiential marketing has a somewhat smaller but positive influence on the tourist loyalty, (4) the acceptance of the augmented reality technology has a moderator influence on the relationship between experiential marketing and tourist experience satisfaction, and (5) the augmented reality as an experience provider, positively influences the feel module, think module and act module