The Hidden Human Resources: The Role of Gastronomy Experience in Destination Branding and Tourist Loyalty
Keywords:
Gastronomic experience, Destination branding, Tourist behaviorAbstract
This research is motivated by the need to understand the factors that influence tourists' intention to adopt augmented reality (AR) at geosite destinations, particularly in the context of Batur UNESCO Global Geopark. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, perceived interactivity, and destination branding perception on behavioral intention to adopt AR through attitude toward AR or tourist engagement as a mediating variable. The research method uses a systematic literature review approach to develop a conceptual framework and a quantitative survey to test the empirical model on tourists at Batur Geosite and related respondents in Bali. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire from tourists and potential visitors, then analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling to test the direct and indirect relationships between variables. The results show that perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, interactivity, and destination image contribute to tourists' intention to adopt AR, primarily through positive attitudes and tourist engagement. This research contributes to the development of tourism technology adoption and destination branding literature by providing an empirical model that can be used to design Human Resource strategies for more effective use of AR in geopark tourist destinations
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