Using UTAUT-3 to Understand the Adoption of Mobile Augmented Reality in Tourism (MART)

Abstract

Before the pandemic, the city of Porto had undergone a boom in tourism and emerged as one of Europe´s most attractive and smartest destinations. Few industries were more disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic than tourism. In the post-pandemic world, mobile augmented reality (MAR) has become increasingly important, yet research on this emerging technology remains scarce. In this study, we will empirically test the UTAUT-3 model to understand the adoption of mobile augmented reality in tourism (MART) in the city of Porto, Portugal. Unlike most IS studies in the field of tourism, this study uses the latest version of the UTAUT model that has superior predictive power. To test this model, SEM-PLS analysis was applied to data obtained from a survey with 101 respondents. We found that respondents do not seem be influenced by prices, the opinions of others, the usefulness nor the effort it takes to use MART.