Traveling as if playing a game: enhancing the cultural tourism experience of digital natives through gamified digital tools

With the rapid development of information technology, the generation raised in digital environments increasingly demands interactive and personalised digital experiences in cultural tourism. This study developed and evaluated a gamified digital tool prototype in a real-world cultural tourism setting, based on user-centered design (UCD) principles and the mechanics–dynamics–aesthetics (MDA) framework. Guided by self-determination theory (SDT), the study examined how specific gamification components fulfil the psychological needs of users and enhance their engagement and knowledge retention. Experimental results showed that the tool significantly increased engagement and knowledge retention among digital native tourists. Structural equation modelling also confirmed that gamification components predict autonomy, competence, and relatedness well, significantly enhancing user engagement. Based on the findings, this study proposes an MDA-based model for gamified digital applications that contribute innovatively to digital transformation and sustainable development of experience-based tourism at heritage sites.