Impacts of Virtual Reality on Tourism Experience and Behavioral Intentions: Moderating Role of Novelty Seeking

Abstract

Creating and delivering memorable experiences for tourists constitute the essence of tourism and tourism management. Technological developments, such as virtual reality (VR), enable tourists to achieve a more unique tourism experience by intensifying engagement and extending experience co-creation in an interactive and simulated environment. This study examines how VR influences the tourism experience and behavioral intentions associated with boundary conditions. Based on a survey in China, the results indicate significant positive relationships among VR presence, flow, tourism experience, and behavioral intentions. Novelty seeking moderates the relationship between VR enjoyment and flow. The findings of this study suggest that VR is a promising tool for tourism in the pre-travel stage.

Editorial for the Special Issue: Impacts of Future Technology on Hospitality and Tourism

“…The experiences and sensory overload that characterize amusement parks make them ideal settings for smart tourism. Tsang and Au (2023) took a quality function deployment approach to enhance experience design for these spaces, and Yuan and Hong (2023) further explored the impacts of VR on tourism experiences and the moderating role of novelty-seeking.…”