From Interaction to Immersion: Gamified AR Narratives and Visitor Typologies in Heritage Tourism Engagement

This paper investigates how gamified augmented reality (AR) narratives can increase emotional engagement and educational value in heritage tourism. Although many cultural sites have adopted AR, it is often not socially oriented, linear, and lacks real-time interaction. This research incorporates game elements, such as role-playing, task-oriented storylines, and instant feedback, into AR systems to study how different types of visitors respond emotionally and cognitively to immersive experiences. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study examined three heritage attractions in Chengdu, China, through on-site AR interactions, surveys, and interviews. The findings suggest that AR interactivity fully mediates user satisfaction. Narrative coherence and task challenge were important predictors. Explorers and gamers experienced more emotion and learning than practical users. Additional structural equation model factors were established, showing that the quality of the narrative and the level of challenge directly affect knowledge acquisition and satisfaction. The paper argues for a user-centered AR framework that caters to adaptive, culturally sensitive, and narrative-specific designs. It also provides heritage managers and AR developers with useful guidelines for designing emotionally engaging, educational tourism experiences. These results suggest a baseline for developing responsive, multimodal AR systems that offer increased emotional presence and cultural interpretation in globally distributed heritage environments.