Determinants of Users' Intention to Visit a Destination: A Virtual Reality Quality Framework

The growth of virtual reality (VR) in hospitality and tourism marketing has raised questions about this technology's utility in creating positive destination perceptions and visit intentions. This research draws upon stimulus - organism - response (SOR) theory and the information system (IS) success model. It specifically assesses how VR travel quality (i.e. content quality, system quality, and vividness [stimulus]) affects customers' psychological experiences, as represented by telepresence, immersion, and enjoyment (organism), and visit intention (response). Data from an online survey informed the assembly of a quality-based framework for VR travel experiences. Results revealed significant positive impacts of content quality, system quality, and vividness on telepresence and immersion; however, content quality did not significantly affect immersion. Positive relationships also emerged between telepresence, immersion, and enjoyment, with the role of immersion influencing enjoyment more strongly than telepresence. Enhanced enjoyment significantly increased intentions to visit the destination. This study provides practical implications for destination marketing.