Technologies are disrupting all areas of economy and society (Flavián et al., 2019; Loureiro & Nascimento, 2021), with an increasingly notable presence in hospitality and tourism (UNWTO, 2022). Considered essential nowadays to attract and engage digital-native generations towards touristic destinations (Floros et al., 2021), interactive touristic experiences constitute major opportunities to meet the sector's challenges and provide more impressive, memorable experiences (del Vecchio et al., 2018), such as provided by augmented (AR) and virtual (VR) reality, location-based services, or artificial intelligence, which have become emerging themes in literature (del Vecchio et al., 2018; Nascimento & Loureiro, 2023). In particular, AR applications are becoming more common in varied settings such as national parks and landmarks, and art galleries (tom Dieck et al., 2018). Scholars demonstrated how AR can enhance the touristic experience, even in traditional heritage sites, by facilitating learning (tom Dieck et al., 2018), or promoting enriched interactions (Graziano & Privitera, 2020).

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Heritage tourism,Augmented reality,Mixed reality,Awe,Destination loyalty,Authenticity