GAME BASED TOURSIM AND

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING 2022

CONTEMPOR AR Y ISSUES FOR TOURISM AND
HOSPITA LI TY
Assignment #1

SUBMITTED TO:
D. Ahmad Hatim Hasan Qadi

Date of submission:
21 October, 2023
INTRODUCTION
RECENTLY, WE NOTICE THAT THERE IS AN UNPRECEDENTED TREND
WITH THE EMERGENCE OF THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY IN USING
VIDEO GAMES AS A MARKETING PERFORMANCE TO MOTIVATE
TOURISTS AND GIVE THEM A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE PLACES
THEY WANT TO GO THROUGH (DESIGNING EXPERIMENTAL
MARKETING STIMULI). HOWEVER, THE FOCUS OF CURRENT STUDIES
IS LIMITED TO AN EXTENT ON THE SCALE OF FILM AND TELEVISION.
RECENTLY, THE APPLICATION OF VIDEO GAMES HAS BEEN ADOPTED
TO AMPLIFY THE LEVEL OF FREEDOM, EMOTION, IMMERSION AND
INTERACTION. HOWEVER, THE POTENTIAL OF VIDEO GAMES IS STILL
AN AREA UNDER RESEARCH. THE USE OF GAMES FOR PROMOTION
HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED AS AN EXPERIMENTAL MARKETING TOOL
IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, NOR HAS IT REACHED A MATURITY
STAGE IN DEVELOPMENT.
INTRODUCTION
BECAUSE GAMERS STILL REPRESENT A RELATIVELY SMALL MARKET
IN TOURISM, IT IS STILL NOT POSSIBLE FOR GAME DEVELOPERS TO
DESIGN TOURISM-SPECIFIC GAMES EXCLUSIVELY FOR THIS GROUP.
OTHER RESEARCHERS ARGUE THAT ONE POTENTIAL FACTOR
HINDERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIDEO GAME-BASED TOURISM IS
THAT THE DESIGN OF EXPERIENCES DOES NOT ATTRACT PAY
ATTENTION BECAUSE GAME DEVELOPERS MAY NOT BE AWARE OF
THE NEEDS OF TOURISTS
This presentation aims to explore in an exploratory manner the
experiential factors affecting in -game experiences, and how they
may contribute to players’ intention to visit in -game locations.
 LITERATURE REVIEW
• I n c r e asi ngl y, v i de o game s h av e r e c e i ved atte n ti on i n
e du c ati on , h e al th an d oth e r n on - gami n g bu s i n e s ses s u c h
as tou r i s m. I n tou r i s m mar ke ti n g, v i de o game s ar e bas e d on
game pl ay, r e f e r ri ng to th e pr ac ti c e of appl yi n g gami n g
me th ods to e n gage an d i n c r e as e th e ov e r al l e x pe r i e nc e i n a
n on - gami n g c on te x t, w h i l e v i de o game s i n tou r i s m
Video Game and Video mar ke ti n g s ti l l r e c e i v e l i ttl e atte n ti on . Vi de o game s may be
Game-Induced Tourism u s e f u l f or pr i or e x pe r i e nc e of poi n ts of i n te r e s t an d
pr omoti on of tou r i s t attr ac ti on to pl aye r s . By doi n g s o,
v i de o game s may e n c ou r age pl aye r s to v i s i t th e l oc ati on
de s c r i be d i n th e game . Wh i l e v i de o game tou r i s m i s
c on s i de r ed on e of th e mos t e f f e c ti v e me th ods to l e av e a
l as ti n g i mpr e s s i on on pl aye r s du e to th e h i gh l e v e l of
i mme r s i on .
 LITERATURE REVIEW
• With the growing interest in video games resembling an
interactiv e and social environment, challenges arise as
players expect more personalized and experiential forms of
trav el through games rather than a simple form of
entertainment. Bridging Experience Design
• Since experiential marketing relies heavily on image to
processing, perception, multi -sensory experiences and Video Game-Induced
symbolic features of the destination serve as key factors Tourism
influencing the effectiveness of marketing messages.
• Video games allow players to explore destinations, but with
a higher lev el of interactivity and immersion. Drawing on the
four areas of experience (i.e. entertainment, education,
escape and aesthetic)
 METHODOLOGY
STUDY CONTEXT:
ASSASSIN' S CREED
ODYSSEY
A ssa ssin's C r e ed O dy ssey i s a r ol e -
pl a y ing v i deo g a me se t i n t h e y e ar s 431 -
422 B C a n d th e stor y r e v ol ves a r ou nd a n
a n c ient G r e ek w a r , i n w h ich pl a yer s a r e
a l l owed t o c h oose a ma i n c h a r acter a n d
c a n e xpl ore t h e c u l ture, h i story, a n d
be a uty of t h e a n c ient G r e ek w or l d.
Pl a yer s c a n t a k e sc r e enshot s a n d sh a re
t h e m, j u st a s t ou r ists of t en sh a re t r a v el
ph ot os on soc i al me di a a n d/ or w i t h
f r i ends. It w a s de si g ned w i t h a n on -
v i ol ent c on c ept , w h i ch ma k es i t su i t able
f or v i de o g a me t ou r ism.
SAMPLE AND
SAMPLING
PROCEDURES
An in -depth qualitative interview approach
was used in this exploratory study. A purposive
sampling method was applied to invite people
with Assassin's Creed Odyssey experience.
Participants with significant experience playing
the game were recruited through social media
channels, player forums, and personal contacts
of game industry researchers. Twelve male
participants, aged 20 to 37 years, were
interviewed. On average, participants spent
about eight hours playing video games per week
and had been playing them for seven years. More
than half (58%) had traveled to Greece. This
sample size is also similar to other studies
analyzing underexplored topics in tourism.
 METHODOLOGY
QUESTIONS WERE GENERATED BASED ON THE LITERATUR E ON VIDEO
GAME/MOVIE -INDUCED TOURISM AND EXPERIENCE DESIGN WHERE SEMI -
STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS FOCUSED ON

ATM O SPHERE, C U L TURE,

EM O TIONAL PER C EPTIONS TO WARDS INTENTIO N TO VISIT IN -
H ISTORY AND NATU R E
EXPER IENCES TH E PL O T GAM E L O C ATIONS
O F IN - GAM E L O C ATIONS

PER SONAL PER C EPTIONS TO WARDS SIM IL AR TO R EAL L IFE

C O NNECTION TO TH E PL O T. - GAM E ENVIR ONMENT, AS WEL L
TH E C H AR ACTER FU NC TIONS AS
METHODOLOGY
SAMPLE AND
SAMPLING
PROCEDURES

Th e i n t erviews w e r e c on ducted i n E n g lish

v i a on l i ne me et ing pl a t f orms f r om A pr i l t o
J u ne 2020. E a c h i n t er view l a st e d
a ppr oximately 30 mi nut es. A l l i n t erviews
w e r e ma n ually t r a nscribed. G i v en t h e
e me rgence of v i deo ga me -induced
tou r ism, a n i n duc tive t h e mat ic a n a lysis
w a s a dopt ed t o r e v eal e mer ging pa t t erns
a n d r e c urr ing ph e nomena. Fi v e ma i n
t h e mes w e re i de n tified w i t h 30 e mpir ical
su b-t hemes, w h i ch ge ner ally r e inforce
pa r t i cipants' i n t ent ion t o v i si t t h e
de st inat ion.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This study conceptualizes five key experiential marketing factors that influence
in-game experiences and a person's intention to visit Greece as follows

Level of Level of
immersion freedom

Dynamics
Connection
of the
to the
game
characters
world
BELOW IS A DETAILED
DISCUSSION OF EACH
DIM EN SION AN D ITS SUBTHEM ES
It turns out that the dynamics of the The third experiential pillar is the
Immersion is another factor
in-game world is one of the most extent of freedom that is offered to
that influences players'
important factors for players. This players and one of the main features
choice of destination. Many
phenomenon can be explained by that enhanced the feeling of
participants mentioned that
the strength of the landscape. freedom is the size of the map in the
they felt part of the world and
Scientists have emphasized the game that allows one to continue
that they were actually
effectiveness of vast geological exploring new things.
walking through ancient
landscapes as amazing stimuli, and Another feature that conveyed a
Greece
have the potential to promote feeling of freedom was the function
Furthermore, some graphical
personal growth. Many participants of open dialogue. Through this
errors can lead to a loss of
also pointed out the uniqueness of feature, players can influence the
immersion because they do
the local atmosphere. way the story progresses with their
not match real-life settings.
own decisions.

GAME WORLD DYNAMICS LEVEL OF IMMERSION LEVEL OF FREEDOM

 Many participants indicated that Overall, the image of Greece has
As for the feeling of realism,
they felt a personal connection to changed little as a result of playing
participants compared the in -game
the main character in terms of his the game. This is usually a
locations with what they actually
background and ideas and other combination of previous knowledge
saw in real life. Interestingly, the
participants stated that they grew or image about the destination and
recognizability of in -game locations
with the character. what the players have learned
also contributes to the level of
This suggests that one of the during the game. To be sure, a few
realism. These results are consistent
motivating factors for visiting in - participants had the opposite view.
with the importance of landscapes
game locations is walking in a For example, players can be alone in
as the main factors that drive
character's shoes. Interestingly, the some scenery and landmarks, unlike
players to travel to the destination. .
results also reveal the role of sound in real life where overcrowding is
as a crucial element in enhancing expected.
communication.
CONNECTION TO THE CHARACTERS - GEN ERA L P ERC EP T I O N S A N D I N T EN T I ON T O
BEING 'THE HERO' SENSE OF REALISM V I SI T GREEC E
FINALLY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
ALTHOUGH SPECIFIC PILLARS, IN AND OF
THEMSELVES, MAY NOT DIRECTLY MOTIVATE A
PERSON'S VISIT, EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING
PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FACILITATING
AND INFLUENCING PLAYERS' SUBSEQUENT
ACTIONS. IN GENERAL, THE EXPERIENTIAL
FACTORS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY
CONTRIBUTE TO SHAPING PLAYERS'
WILLINGNESS TO VISIT CERTAIN IN -GAME
LOCATIONS IN REAL LIFE.

THEORETICAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
T h i s re se arc h d e e p e ns o u r
u n de rstan din g o f h o w i n - g ame
e x p e rie nc es sh ap e p o te n tial
to u ri sts' p e rc e p tions an d v i si ts,
an d v i c e v e rsa. T h i s stu d y
c o n trib utes to n e w w ay s o f
u n d e rstan din g v i d eo g am e - indu c ed
to u ri sm b y b ri n gin g k n o wle dge
f ro m th e l e n s o f e xpe rie nce de si g n.
Conclusions
PRACTICAL
IMPLICATIONS
B y i de n tifying k e y e xpe rie ntial
m ark e ting l ay e rs, th i s stu dy
pro v ides g u i dance f o r i m proving
i n - g am e e xpe rie nces f ro m an
e xpe rie nce de si g n l e n s, w h i ch
m ay u l ti m ate ly l e ad to actu al
trav e l . T h e re su l ts h i g h ligh t
atte n ti on to de tai l as th e
f u n dam entals o f de si g n.
LIMITATIONS AND
RECOM M ENDATIONS
Fu tu re re se arch i s re co m men de d
to i n v e stig ate h o w sp e c i fic
e xpe rie nce pi l l ars i n di f fe re nt
ty pe s o f m e di a -related to u ri sm
m ay sh ape trav e l e xpe ri ence s.
Li k e wise , th e ch o i ce to u se o n e
spe ci fic g am e l i m ited th e ty pe o f
pl ay e rs w h o parti cipated i n th e
stu dy .
SUBMITTED BY
DANA MASHHOUR ALSARAWANI
442003544

Montaha Mohammed Hendi

442015372

Haylaa Adel AlDawsari

442013865

Asma Muhammad al -Qurashi

442016967

Safana Yassir Sindi

442013821

Doaa rushdi fatni

442017811

SECTION: 3