360-DEGREE PANORAMIC VIRTUAL TOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE EPHESUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

Authors : Buğcan Güvenol, Büşra Korkmaz, Mehmet Emre Güler

Pages : 644-664

Doi:10.54831/vanyyuiibfd.1830445

View : 191 | Download : 336

Publication Date : 2025-12-27

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The research aims to understand users’ experiences of heritage sites presented through 360-degree panoramic virtual tour platforms. The Ephesus Archaeological Site was chosen as the study area. The study employed a qualitative research design, and interviews were conducted with 23 participants selected through purposive sampling. The data were coded using MaxQDA and analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the virtual tour of the Ephesus Archaeological Site has deficiencies in its sensory and informational elements and that it offers an experience at the boundaries of usability. The study concludes that although users’ experiences involve certain limitations, these limitations paradoxically contribute to strengthening their behavioral intentions. Users express an intention to recommend the virtual tour to others, as they perceive it as a tool for obtaining preliminary information. Moreover, the limitations of the virtual tour evoke curiosity among users, which in turn leads them to form an intention to visit the site in person. Future research could examine user experiences in virtual tours of other archaeological sites to explore their relationship with behavioral intentions. In this way, the role of site-specific real-world characteristics can also be identified.
Keywords : 360-Derece Panoramik Tur, Sanal Tur, Kültürel Miras Alanı, Efes Antik Kenti, Deneyim

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