Exploring relations among authentic tourism experience, experience quality, and tourist behaviours in phygital heritage with experimental design

Mixed reality (MR) in museums has become increasingly prevalent because of the rapid progress of digitalisation. However, there is a dearth of research examining the impact of MR on visitors' perceptions of authenticity and behaviour, particularly in relation to the role of tour guides. This paper describes a field experiment designed to compare the effects of three distinct service categories (MR only, tour guide only, and mixed service) on the experiences and behaviours of museum visitors. Based on the primary results, visitors who received mixed service or only guide service had a higher perception of objective authenticity than those who received only MR service. This higher perception of authenticity enhanced visitors’ overall experience quality, values, attitudes, and behaviours. Moreover, visitors who received mixed services perceived existential authenticity at the highest level, resulting in a higher level of experience quality. Research sheds light on the dynamic interactions among MR, guided tours, authenticity, and visitor experiences in promoting cultural heritage artefacts.