GAME BASED TOURSIM AND

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING 2022

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES FOR TOURISM AND
HOSPITALITY
Assignment # 1

SUBMITTED TO:
D. Ahmad Hatim Hasan Qadi

Date of submission:
21 October, 2023
INTRO D UCTION
RECENTLY, WE NOTICE TH AT TH ERE IS AN U NPRECEDENTED TREND
WITH TH E EMERGENCE OF TH E EXPERIENCE ECONOMY IN U SING
VIDEO GAMES AS A MARKETING PERFO RMANCE TO MO TIVATE
TOU RIS TS AND GIVE TH EM A VIRTU AL EXPERIENCE O F TH E PLACES
TH EY WANT TO GO TH ROU GH (DES IGNING EXPERIMENTAL
MARKETING S TIMU LI). H OWEVER, TH E FOCU S OF CU RRENT STU DIES
IS LIMITED TO AN EXTENT ON TH E S CALE OF FILM AND TELEVISION.
RECENTLY, THE APPLICATIO N O F VIDEO GAMES H AS BEEN ADO PTED
TO AMPLIFY THE LEVEL O F FREEDO M, EMO TION, IMMERS IO N AND
INTERACTION. HOWEVER, TH E POTENTIAL OF VIDEO GAMES IS STILL
AN AREA U NDER RES EARCH . TH E U S E OF GAMES FOR PROMOTION
HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED AS AN EXPERIMENTAL MARKETING TOOL
IN THE TOU RIS M INDU S TRY, NOR HAS IT REACHED A MATU RITY
S TAGE IN DEVELOPMENT.
INTRO D UCTION
BECAU S E GAMERS S TILL REPRES ENT A RELATIVELY S MALL MARKET
IN TOU RIS M, IT IS S TILL NOT POS S IBLE FOR GAME DEVELO PERS TO
DESIGN TOU RIS M -S PECIFIC GAMES EXCLU S IVELY FOR TH IS GROU P.
OTHER RESEARCHERS ARGU E TH AT ONE POTENTIAL FACTOR
HINDERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIDEO GAME -BAS ED TOU RIS M IS
THAT THE DES IGN OF EXPERIENCES DO ES NO T ATTRACT PAY
ATTENTION BECAU S E GAME DEVELOPERS MAY NOT BE AWARE O F
TH E NEEDS OF TOU RIS TS
This pres entation aims to ex pl ore in an ex pl oratory manner the
experiential factors affecting in -game ex periences, and how they
may contribute to pl ay ers ’ intention to vis it in -game l ocations .
 LITERATURE REVIEW
• Incr ea s ingl y, video ga mes ha ve r eceived a ttentio n in
edu ca tio n , h ea l th a n d o th er n o n -ga ming businesses such
a s to u r ism. In to u r ism ma r ketin g, video ga mes a r e ba sed o n
ga mepl a y, r efer r ing to the pr a ctice o f a ppl yin g ga min g
meth o ds to en ga ge a n d in cr ea se th e o ver a l l exper ience in a
n o n-ga ming co ntext, whil e video ga mes in to ur ism
Video Game and Video ma r keting s til l r eceiv e l ittl e a ttentio n. Video ga mes ma y be
Game-Induced Tourism u seful fo r pr io r exper ience o f po ints o f inter est a nd
pr o mo tio n o f to ur ist a ttr a ctio n to pl a yer s. By do ing so ,
video ga mes ma y enco ur a ge pl a yer s to v is it the l o ca tio n
descr ibed in the ga me. W hil e video ga me to u r is m is
co nsider ed o ne o f the mo st effective metho ds to l ea ve a
l a s ting impr es s io n o n pl a yer s due to the high l evel o f
immer s io n.
 LITERATURE REVIEW
• W ith t h e gro win g in terest in vid eo ga m es resem b l in g a n
in tera ct ive a n d so cia l en viro n m en t , ch a l l en ges a rise a s
pl a yers ex p ect m o re p erso n a l ized a n d ex p erien tia l f o rm s o f
t ra vel t h ro u gh ga m es ra th er th a n a sim p l e f o rm o f
en tert a in m en t. Bridging Experience Design
• Sin ce ex p erientia l m a rketing rel ies h ea vil y o n im a ge to
p ro cessin g, p ercep tio n , m u l ti -sen so ry ex p erien ces a n d Video Game-Induced
sym b o l ic f ea tu res o f th e d estin a t io n serve a s key f a ct o rs Tourism
in f l u en cin g the ef f ectiveness o f m a rketin g m essa ges.
• Vid eo ga m es a l l o w p l a yers to ex p l o re d est in a t io n s, b u t wit h
a h igh er l evel o f in tera ctivity a n d im m ersio n . Dra win g o n th e
f o u r a rea s o f ex p erien ce ( i. e. en terta in m en t, ed u ca tio n ,
esca p e a n d a esth etic)
 MET HO D OLOGY
ST U DY C ON T E X T : SAM PL E AN D
ASSASSI N ' S C RE E D SAM PL I N G
ODY SSE Y PROC E DU RE S

A ssassin' s C r e e d O d y sse y is a r ol e - An in-d ep th q ua l ita tiv e inte r v iew a p p r oa ch

p l ay ing v id e o g ame se t in the y e ar s 43 1 - wa s use d in this e xp lor a tor y stud y . A p ur p osiv e
sa m p l ing m ethod wa s a p p l ie d to inv ite p e op l e
422 B C and the stor y r e v ol v e s ar o und an
with Assa ssin's C r e e d O d y sse y e xp e r ie nce .
anc ie nt G r e e k w ar , in w hic h p l ay e r s ar e Pa r ticip a nts with significa nt exp er ience p la y ing
al l ow e d to c hoose a main c har ac te r and the ga m e we r e r e cr uite d thr ough socia l m e d ia
c an e x p l o r e the c ul tur e , histo r y , and cha nne l s, p l a y er for um s, a nd p er sona l conta cts
b e auty of the anc ie nt G r e e k w or l d . of ga m e ind ustr y r e se a r che r s. T we lv e m a le
Pl ay e r s c an tak e sc r e e nshots and shar e p a r ticip a nts, a ge d 2 0 to 3 7 y e a r s, we r e
inte r v ie we d . O n a v e r a ge , p a r ticip a nts sp e nt
the m, j ust as tour ists of te n shar e tr ave l
a b out e ight hour s p l a y ing v id e o ga m e s p e r we e k
p hotos o n so c ial me d ia and /o r w ith
a nd ha d b e e n p l a y ing the m for se v e n y e a r s. Mor e
f r ie nd s. It w as d e sig ne d w ith a non - tha n ha lf (58% ) ha d tr a v e le d to G r e e ce . T his
v iol e nt c o nc e p t, w hic h mak e s it suitab l e sa m p le size is a lso sim ila r to othe r stud ie s
f o r v id e o g ame to ur ism. a na l y z ing und e r e xp lor e d top ics in tour ism .
 METHO D OLOGY
QU E ST I ON S WE RE GE N E RA T E D B A SE D ON T HE L I T E RA T U RE ON VI DE O
GA M E /M OVI E - I N DU C E D T OU RI SM A N D E X PE RI E N C E DE SI GN WHE RE SE M I -
ST RU C T U RE D I N T E RVI E WS F OC U SE D ON

A T M O S P HE R E , C U L T U R E ,
E M O T IO N A L P E R C E P T IO N S T O WA R D S IN T E N T IO N T O V IS IT IN -
HIS T O R Y A N D N A T U R E
E X PE R IE N C E S T HE P L O T G A M E L O C A T IO N S
O F IN -G A M E L O C A T IO N S

PE R S O N A L P E R C E P T IO N S T O WA R D S S IM IL A R T O R E A L L IFE
C O N N E C T IO N T O T HE P L O T . -G A M E E N V IR O N M E NT , A S WE L L
T HE C HA R A C T E R FU N C T IO N S AS
MET HO D OLOGY
SA M PL E A N D
SA M PL I N G
PROC E DU RE S

The inte r v ie w s w e r e c ond uc te d in E ng l ish

via onl ine me e ting p l atf or ms f r om A p r il to
J une 2 02 0 . E ac h inte r v ie w l aste d
ap p r ox imate l y 3 0 minute s. A l l inte r vie w s
w e r e manual l y tr ansc r ib e d . G iv e n the
e me r g e nc e of vid e o g ame - ind uc e d
to ur ism, an ind uc tiv e the matic anal y sis
w as ad o p te d to r e v e al e me r g ing p atte r ns
and r e c ur r ing p he nome na. F iv e main
the me s w e r e id e ntif ie d w ith 3 0 e mp ir ic al
sub - the me s, w hic h g e ne r al l y r e inf or c e
p ar tic ip ants' inte ntio n to v isit the
d e stination.
 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
BE LOW I S A DE T AI LE D
DI S CUS S I ON OF E A CH
DI M E N S ION AN D I T S S UBT HE M E S
It tur ns out tha t the d y na m ics of the T he thir d e xp e r ie ntia l p il l a r is the
Im m e r sion is a nothe r f a c tor
in-ga m e wor l d is one of the m ost e xte nt of fr e e d om tha t is offe r e d to
tha t influe nce s p la y e r s'
im p or ta nt f a ctor s f or p l a y e r s. T his p la y e r s a nd one of the m a in fe a tur es
c hoic e of d e stina tion. Ma ny
p henom enon ca n b e e xp l a ine d b y tha t e nha nce d the f e e ling of
p a r ticip a nts m e ntione d tha t
the str e ngth of the l a nd sca p e . fr ee d om is the size of the m a p in the
the y fe lt p a r t of the wor ld a nd
S cientists ha v e em p ha sized the ga m e tha t a llows one to continue
tha t the y we r e a ctua lly
e ffe ctiv e ne ss of v a st ge ol ogica l e xp l or ing ne w things.
wa lking thr ough a ncie nt
la nd sca p es a s a m a zing stim ul i, a nd Anothe r f e a tur e tha t conv e y e d a
G r e e ce
ha v e the p ote ntia l to p r om ote fe e ling of fr e e d om wa s the function
F ur the r m or e , som e gr a p hica l
p e r sona l gr owth. Ma ny p a r ticip a nts of op e n d ia logue . T hr ough this
e r r or s ca n l e a d to a l oss of
a lso p ointe d out the uniq ue ne ss of fe a tur e , p la y e r s ca n influe nce the
im m e r sion b e c a use the y d o
the loca l a tm osp he r e . wa y the stor y p r ogr e sse s with the ir
not m a tch r e a l -life settings.
own d e cisions.

GAME WORLD DYNAMICS LEVEL OF IMMERSION LEVEL OF FREEDOM

 Ma ny p a r ticip a nts ind ica te d tha t O v e r a l l , the im a ge of G r e e ce ha s
As for the fe e ling of r e a lism ,
the y felt a p er sona l conne ction to cha nge d little a s a r e sult of p la y ing
p a r ticip a nts com p a r e d the in -ga m e
the m a in cha r a cte r in te r m s of his the ga m e. T his is usua lly a
loca tions with wha t the y a ctua lly
b a ckgr ound a nd id e a s a nd othe r com b ina tion of p r e v ious knowle d ge
sa w in r e a l life . Inte r e stingly , the
p a r ticip a nts sta te d tha t the y gr e w or im a ge a b out the d e stina tion a nd
r e cogniz a b ility of in -ga m e loca tions
with the cha r a cter . wha t the p la y e r s ha v e le a r ne d
a l so contr ib ute s to the l e v e l of
T his sugge sts tha t one of the d ur ing the ga m e . T o b e sur e, a few
r e a lism . T he se r e sults a r e consiste nt
m otiv a ting fa ctor s for v isiting in - p a r ticip a nts ha d the op p osite v ie w.
with the im p or ta nce of la nd sca p es
ga m e l oca tions is wa l king in a F or e xa m p le , p la y e r s ca n b e a lone in
a s the m a in f a ctor s tha t d r iv e
cha r a cte r 's shoe s. Inte r e stingl y , the som e sce ne r y a nd la nd m a r ks, unlike
p la y er s to tr a v el to the d estina tion. .
r e sul ts a lso r e v e a l the r ol e of sound in r e a l life whe r e ov e r cr owd ing is
a s a cr ucia l e le m e nt in e nha ncing e xp e cte d .
com m unica tion.
CO NNECTIO N TO THE CHARACTERS - GE NE R AL PE R CE PTIO NS AND INTE NTIO N TO
BEING 'THE HERO' SENSE OF REALISM VISIT GR E E CE
F I NAL L Y , IT I S I MPO R T ANT TO NO TE THAT
AL THO U GH S PEC IF IC PIL L ARS , IN AND O F
THEMS EL V ES , MAY NO T D I REC T L Y MO T I V AT E A
PERS O N'S V IS IT, EX PERIENT I AL MARK ET ING
PL AY S AN IMPO RTANT RO L E IN F AC IL IT AT ING
AND INF L U ENC ING PL AY ERS ' S U B S EQ U ENT
AC TIO NS . IN GENERAL , TH E EX PERIENT IAL
F AC TO R S D IS C U S S ED PREV I O U S L Y
C O NTR IB U T E T O S H API NG PL AY ER S '
W IL L INGNES S T O V I S I T C ER T AI N I N -GAME
L O C ATI O NS I N R EAL L I F E.

THEORETI CAL
CONTRI BUTI ONS
Thi s re s e arc h de e pe ns our
unde rs tandi ng of how i n - gam e
e x pe ri e nc e s s hape pote nti al
touri s ts ' pe rc e pti ons and vi s i ts ,
and vi c e ve rs a. Thi s s tudy
c ontri bute s to ne w w ays o f
unde rs tandi ng vi de o game -i nduc e d
touri s m by bri ngi ng knowle dge
from the le ns of e x pe ri e nc e de s i gn.
C o nclus i ons
PRACTI CAL
I MPLI CATI ONS
By i de nti fyi ng ke y e x pe ri e nti al
m arke ti ng laye rs , thi s s tudy
provi de s gui danc e for i mprovi ng
i n- gam e e x pe ri e nc e s from an
e x pe ri e nc e de s i gn le ns , whi c h
m ay ulti m ate ly le ad to ac tual
trave l. The re s ults hi ghli ght
atte nti on to de tai l as the
fundame ntals of de s i gn.
LI MI TATI ONS AND
RECOMMENDATI ONS
Future re s e arc h i s re c om m e nde d
to i nve s ti gate how s pe c i fi c
e x pe ri e nc e pi llars i n di ffe re nt
type s o f m e di a- re late d touri s m
m ay s hape trave l e x pe ri e nc e s .
Li ke w i s e , the c hoi c e to us e one
s pe c i fi c gam e li m i te d the type of
playe rs w ho parti c i pate d i n the
s tudy.
SUBM ITTED BY
D ANA M AS HHOU R AL S AR AW ANI
4 4 20 0 3 54 4

M on tah a M oh am m e d He n d i
4 4 20 153 72

Hay laa Ad e l AlD aws ar i

4 4 20 13 865

As m a M u h am m ad al - Qu r as h i
4 4 20 16967

S afan a Y as s i r S i n d i
4 4 20 13 821

D oaa r u s h d i fatn i
4 4 20 17811

S EC TION: 3