Digital display and storytelling: creating an immersive experience of Lingnan costume cultural heritage tourism project

Abstract Cultural heritage tourism is crucial in preserving cultural identity and attracting tourists globally. This study examines the influence of digital exhibition and storytelling on visitors’ cultural understanding, emotional connection, and satisfaction at the Lingnan Costume Cultural Heritage Tourism Project in Guangzhou, China. Three hypotheses were tested using a pre-and post-test experimental design with 180 university students from various tourism backgrounds. The findings reveal significant differences between the experimental and control groups, indicating that digital exhibitions and storytelling positively impact cultural understanding, knowledge acquisition, emotional connection, experiential engagement, satisfaction, and intentions to revisit. The results contribute to tourism management and development by emphasizing the significance of innovative digital solutions and storytelling techniques in enhancing visitor experiences and the appeal of cultural heritage sites. The study’s conclusions provide valuable insights for implementing digital exhibition strategies and storytelling in sustainable tourism development and cultural heritage preservation.