The Economic Content of Immersive Experiences in Ethnocultural Tourism: A Value Co-Creation Model

Abstract

To define the economic content of immersive ethnocultural tourism experiences and systematize the channels through which they create value for tourists, local participants, and the destination. The study applies a systematic literature review, comparative conceptual analysis, and value-chain synthesis using official statistics, institutional sources, and peer-reviewed research. Immersiveness is conceptualized not as a technology in itself but as the tourist's active role in a cultural process. The analysis distinguishes tourist value, firm revenue, and locally retained value, and identifies authenticity, heritage protection, local consent, and transparent payment flows as non-substitutable conditions. The digital and institutional mechanisms proposed in the article are ex ante designs. They should not be interpreted as proven economic effects until validated with pilot transaction data, visitor surveys, and independent evaluation.