Analyzing the determinants of revisit intention in game tourism: A hybrid CB-SEM and fsQCA approach

This study investigates the mechanism through which game tourism motivation influences gamification experience, travel memory vividness, place attachment, and revisit intention in the context of augmented reality (AR)-based game tourism content. Data were collected from participants who engaged in an AR mission-type tourism program in Wonju, Gangwon Province, South Korea. The analysis employed a combination of covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The CB-SEM results revealed that game tourism motivation significantly affected gamification experience, which in turn enhanced travel memory vividness and place attachment. Both travel memory vividness and place attachment were identified as key predictors of revisit intention. Mediation analysis using PROCESS Macro confirmed that travel memory vividness and place attachment each played significant mediating roles, and their serial mediation effect was also statistically significant. The fsQCA identified seven distinct configurations of conditions, demonstrating that tourists’ experiences vary depending on different constellations of motivations and individual characteristics. Based on these findings, this study proposed three types of gamification participation motifs. By empirically examining the relationships among game tourism motivation, gamification experience, and psychological outcomes, this study contributes to the theoretical advancement of gamification-based tourism experiences and provides practical implications for the design of AR tourism content.