Augmented reality-enabled cultural and creative products: Emotional pathways to tourist behavior and the moderating role of trait curiosity

Cultural and creative products (CCPs) play a vital role in shaping destination images and enhancing visitor experiences. Drawing on the stimulus–organism–response framework, this study examines how augmented reality (AR) attributes of AR-enabled CCPs evoke positive emotional responses among tourists, thereby influencing their purchase intention and willingness to pay a premium. Data were collected from 513 tourists at the Temple of Heaven through a survey and analyzed using SmartPLS. The findings indicate that specific AR attributes significantly enhance visitors’ emotional responses. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of AR applications and underlying emotional mechanisms, while also offering practical insights for the design and marketing of CCPs.