Using virtual reality for tourism marketing: A mediating role of self-presence

ABSTRACT

Despite increasing interest in using virtual reality (VR) for tourism marketing, limited empirical evidence exists regarding consumers’ psychological response toward VR. The current study investigates the effectiveness of different media—head-mounted display (HMD) or computer—used to view 360-degree tourism promotional videos as well as the impact of different information sources featured in a VR tourism video on destination image formation and intention to visit. The experiment featured a 2 (media: HMD vs. computer) x 2 (information source: tour guide vs. peer) between-subjects design. Findings indicate that the type of media used to view VR promotional videos significantly impacts destination image but not intention to visit. The role of different types of information sources on destination image and intention to visit was found to be non-significant. The findings suggest that virtual reality offers an effective means to promote tourism, particularly because the enhanced sense of presence provided via HMD leads to a more positive image of the destination.

KEYWORDS:

• Virtual reality
• Tourism marketing
• Destination image
• Presence
• Information source

Highlights

• Our study tested the effectiveness of different media types on tourism marketing and demonstrated that using a VR headset can make a significant difference among potential consumers.

• Participants who used an HMD compared to a computer watched exactly the same tourism promotional video but reported a higher level of destination image formation including cognitive, affective, and overall evaluation of the promoted location.

• Our results further revealed the underlying mechanism contributing to the persuasive effects of VR content delivered via HMD: self-presence.

• VR experienced through HMDs enhances the feeling of self-presence o a greater extent than a computer, which then increases the participant’s positive destination image.

• The impact of information source on destination image was found to be insignificant.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Mendeley at http://dx.doi.10.17632/p5pnkw6m5w.1#file-17135086-84a2-41d3-ad19-ba0310392a53.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2019S1A5A2A03035424).