Perceptions of Augmented Reality Application for Tourism Promotion in the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur of Bangladesh: A Qualitative Research

The study aims to assess the perceptions of the stakeholders and tourists towards the implementation of potential AR application within the cultural, heritage and museum context. Besides, this study has chosen the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur World Heritage Site (WHS) as a sacred and religiously important tourist site in which the stakeholders’ perception regarding possible implementation of AR is checked. This study also deliberates the concept of AR and application of AR in tourism. The reasons for applying modern technological tool like AR with the real world setting are identified. Essential components for implementing the AR tool at the site are explored and discussed. This qualitative research is mostly relied on in-depth interviews and focus group discussion for data and information collection in line with reviewing the existing literature. Data were collected from thirteen stakeholders and tourists. Findings of the study reveals that AR application has perceived positive benefits like experiential, economic, cultural & historical, educational and aesthetic value. This study also shows the challenges like management challenges, visitors’ incapability, financial challenges and informational challenges those might hinder the implementation of AR at the site. The study moreover shows the relationship between sustainability and AR application. Besides, the authors argue that the implementation of AR application at the site will benefit the stakeholders (local community, visitors, employees, and tour operators etc.). Limitations and future research directions are given at the consequent stages of this paper.