The Effect of Integrating Digital Visualization with Hard copy Maps to Encourage Tourists to Visit Historical Sites

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Tabriz Islamic Art University

10.22080/jtpd.2026.30906.4070

Abstract

Traditional tools like hard copy maps face limitations in supporting economic development and preserving national identity, failing to effectively encourage younger generations to visit historical monuments. This study examines the integration of digital virtualization especially 360-digital virtualization with hard copy maps to encourage tourists to visit historical sites. The main objectives are to identify factors influencing travel encouragement and extract decision rules from a random forest model.

The research is descriptive-analytical with a quantitative approach, based on a survey of 200 respondents from diverse age groups. Descriptive and advanced statistics were analyzed in Python using the stimulus-organism-response framework. Extracted data were evaluated with a supervised random forest machine learning model in Python's scikit-learn library.

Based on the S-O-R framework and Shapiro-Wilk test, data were non-normal, leading to the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test, which confirmed significant generational differences. The random forest algorithm achieved 74% model accuracy, with extracted rules showing that individuals aged ≤40 with high VT and AR stimulus are more likely to be encouraged. Feature importance ranked hard copy map stimulus mean highest (0.11), highlighting the value of combining it with new tools.

This study offers an innovative approach to sustainable historical tourism in Iran. A practical recommendation is designing a website linking hard copy maps to VT and AR via QR codes for interactive experiences.

The research's novelty lies in integrating three tools with random forest for practical rule extraction—the first in Iranian tourism—and its originality in applying the S-O-R framework to predict age-based encouragement.

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Journal of Tourism Planning and Development
Volume 15, Issue 57
June 2026
Pages 162-180

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