Gamification and the festival experience: the case of Taiwan

Gamification has become a major trend and application of technology in tourism development. However, studies exploring how gamification affects visitors' psychological outcomes and positive behaviours remain limited. This study explored the relationships among gamification, tourist experience, memorability, and repatronising intention among visitors visiting the Taiwan Lantern Festival. A face-to-face questionnaire and purposive sampling were used, and 403 valid questionnaires were collected. Gamification was discovered to positively affect tourist experience and memorability. A positive relationship was found between tourist experience, memorability, and repatronising intention. Structural equation modelling confirmed that both tourist experience and memorability mediated the effect of gamification on repatronising intention. Festivals should be designed as unique experiences that differ from normal life, enabling visitors to immerse themselves and enjoy the experience of 'playing'. Festival planners should be mindful of the sensory experience that their event can provide. By stimulating visitors' imagination and improving the curiosity-arousing quality of activities, festivals can improve the visiting experience and ensure visitors have positive memories; these qualities are crucial to enhance visitors' revisit intention and positive word of mouth.