Augmented reality is human-like: How the humanizing experience inspires destination brand love

•Applying humanizing experience theory in digital marketing.•Augmented reality (AR) as a discruptive technology in digital marketing are anthropomorphism, self-representation, and intimacy.•An emerging disruptive technology, AR, may help meet the need for contactless services in unique situations, such as the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic.•Green destination brand love enhanced by AR through humanizing digital experience in contactless service journeys. Drawing on humanizing experience theory, we examined the antecedents and consequences of humanizing the digital experience in a virtual tourism context. Using a scenario survey approach, we designed dynamic 360° augmented reality (AR) panorama and 360° spin-of-the-mouse environments to examine the research model and hypotheses. Data from 263 subjects were collected and analyzed with AMOS 20. The empirical results elucidate the psychological mechanism behind the formation of humanizing digital experiences, showing that a 360° AR panorama shapes three features of a humanizing experience—anthropomorphism, self-representation, and intimacy—significantly better than a spin of the mouse, resulting in a stronger effect on green destination brand love. Furthermore, the technology readiness of online tourists significantly moderates the effects of a humanizing digital experience on green destination brand love. This study demonstrates how an emerging disruptive technology, AR, may help meet the need for contactless services in unique situations, such as the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic. The study helps researchers of green destination brand love and AR better understand what a humanizing digital experience in contactless service journeys can offer, paving the way for further research and practical development in this area. Because AR can be used to process big data, ethical compliance is also addressed.