A Systematic Review of the Application of Immersive Technologies in Cultural Tourism Marketing

Abstract

In recent years, the application of immersive technology in cultural tourism marketing has gradually become the focus of attention in both academia and industry. The core of cultural tourism industry lies in attracting consumers through cultural experience and scenario-based services, while immersive technology creates a deep sense of participation for consumers through multi-sensory interaction and contextual simulation. Based on the technology-user-market framework, this paper systematically reviews the application mechanism and influence path of immersive technology in cultural tourism marketing. At the technical aspect, the technology iteration cycle accelerates to drive the optimization of technical features such as interactivity and sense of presence, but its effectiveness is significantly moderated by differences in application scenarios. At the user aspect, technology stimulates users’ behavioral intentions through cognitive, emotional and social dimensions, while user features and contingencies influence long-term behavioral conversion by moderating psychological outcomes. At the market aspect, immersive technology reconstructs destination brand communication, market potential exploration, and sustainable tourism practices through virtual-real integration. The study proposes that future research should focus on enhancing cross-scenario technological adaptation, dynamic user behavior tracking, and comprehensive market value assessment to facilitate high-quality, synergistic development between immersive technologies and the cultural tourism industry.