Augmented Reality Tourist Guide for Cultural Heritage Sites: A Low-Cost Prototype Implementation for Ohrid, North Macedonia

Abstract

The tourism sector faces challenges that impact the quality of tourist experiences. This paper presents a prototype Augmented Reality (AR) tourist guide designed to enhance tourism in Ohrid, North Macedonia. Using a marker-based AR, 3D modeling, and interactive animations, the system delivers accurate historical and cultural information. A 3D character named “Lihnida”, inspired by Ohrid’s folklore, acts as a virtual guide to engage visitors. A survey with 34 participants and prototype testing helped identify user needs and confirmed the benefits of AR technology in tourism. The prototype, developed with open-source tools like Blender and Unity with AR Foundation, demonstrates that effective AR solutions can be created with minimal resources. The results indicate strong user interest in AR-enhanced tourism, with no participants expressing complete disinterest in using such applications. Statistical analysis revealed significantly positive user comfort with marker-based AR interaction (M = 3.47, t = 2.46, p < 0.05, 95% CI: {3.08, 3.86}), validating the technical approach. Internal consistency analysis (Cronbach’s α = 0.441) demonstrated that user acceptance involves multiple independent dimensions rather than unified AR attitudes. The system addresses critical issues including unauthorized tourist guides, language barriers, and inconsistent information delivery, while serving as a foundation for future enhancements including multilingual support, expanded content, and interactive features.