Gamification as a Creative Approach in Educational Travel Apps for Children

Abstract

This research aims to explore gamification as a creative approach in educational tourism applications for children using the Systematic Literature Review method. The literature analyzed was sourced from databases such as Scopus, DOAJ, and Google Scholar, with a publication time span of 2015-2025. The results show that gamification significantly improves motivation, engagement and learning outcomes across a range of contexts, including primary education, higher education and children's educational tourism. Gamification elements such as points, challenges, rewards, QR codes and augmented reality are important components in creating engaging and interactive learning experiences. However, their effectiveness relies heavily on designs that balance entertainment, educational value and user needs. Research gaps found include the lack of integration of gamification elements with local culture, the balance between competition and collaboration, and the lack of studies on the long-term impact on holistic learning. The findings are expected to serve as a foundation for the development of more relevant and adaptive gamification applications for children's educational tourism, especially in the context of local culture and sustainable development.