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Article
Publication date: 4 April 2024

Jorge Nascimento and Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro

Drawing on appraisal theories, this paper aims to attempt to demonstrate how augmented reality (AR) strengthens relationships in the cognitive-affective-conative mechanism to…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on appraisal theories, this paper aims to attempt to demonstrate how augmented reality (AR) strengthens relationships in the cognitive-affective-conative mechanism to shape visitors' recommendation of awe-inspiring heritage experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method approach was undertaken. First, an exploratory pre-study (n = 98) analyzed the multidimensionality of awe appraisals, eliciting the most salient dimensions in tourism experiences for informing the main study. Subsequently, an on-site survey was used to examine the relationships in the cognitive-affective-conative sequence, based on 316 questionnaires collected at a highly acclaimed religious heritage equipped with a multisensory AR activity.

Findings

Two distinct appraisals underlined in the awe concept were elicited during the exploratory phase: altered emotions (aggregating positive self-transformative dimensions) and the need for accommodation. The survey results demonstrated that the influence of authenticity on recommendation is shaped by emotions. Altered emotions hold a central mediating role and are differentiated from other discrete emotions. AR and the need for accommodation are revealed as contingencies that regulate the mediated mechanism.

Practical implications

This paper provides the hospitality and tourism stakeholders with a better understanding of how immersive technologies can be used for boosting recommendations, by enhancing the emotional responses toward authenticity perceptions.

Originality/value

This study introduces a novel conceptual framework to broaden our understanding of how cognitive and affective mental processes are linked to visitors’ recommendations, and how AR amplifies the outcomes. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first research to distinguish and document the specific effects of two different types of awe appraisal.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 April 2023

Nuray Yildiz, Melek Ece Öncüer and Abdullah Tanrisevdi

This study aims to assess the relationships between cultural travel motivation, two dimensions of authenticity and satisfaction of domestic tourists visiting Sirince in Turkey…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to assess the relationships between cultural travel motivation, two dimensions of authenticity and satisfaction of domestic tourists visiting Sirince in Turkey. Given the structure of the model, authenticity is two latent variables, indirectly affecting satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The research takes a predictive and explanatory approach rather than theory confirmation. Partial least squares (PLS) algorithm was used to assess the multiple mediation. The data were collected from 391 domestic visitors through a self-administered questionnaire.

Findings

The research highlights that two dimensions of authenticity have a statistically mediating influences on the relationship between cultural travel motivation and satisfaction. Furthermore, while cultural travel motivation is the most important predictor of satisfaction, object-based authenticity has emerged as an antecedent variable that deserves to be given the highest importance. Finally, first time visitors and repeaters did not differ across all relationships in the model.

Research limitations/implications

The fact that the data were collected only from Sirince can be considered as geographical limitations of the study. Another limitation is that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the data were obtained only from domestic tourists visiting Sirince.

Practical implications

The study on the multiple mediating roles of authenticity in the relationship between motivation factor alongside satisfaction revealed a variety of application opportunities, particularly for destinations attempting to position themselves as authentic. Accordingly, authenticity concept gains significance in tourism industry more often because unique experiences at the visited destinations can satisfy the individuals in search of their self-identity.

Social implications

Furthermore, transformation of authentic places into tourism destinations develops cultural values in line with expectations of tourists. However, this transforms domestic cultural factors into commercial products by eroding their significance in the eye of local residents. This invites artificiality by drifting apart from originality of cultural elements. Each element serves as part of authenticity is indeed away from authentic experience even though it is regarded as an authentic experience from tourists’ perspective because it diverts from its reality. Establishing balance between tourists’ travel motivations and their expectation from authentic destination is substantially important to satisfy their sensational and sentimental expectations. In addition to the ones mentioned above, managers should take an active role in promotion and focus on sponsorship activities to highlight the authenticity of Sirince; begin reconstruction works by considering the original architecture specific to the region; and pay attention to the compatibility of the new architectural texture with the destination character. As stated in the study of Genc and Gulertekin Genc (2021), special attention should be paid to the harmony between the architectural texture and the destination feature. Finally, considering that authenticity has a mediating role between cultural travel motivation and satisfaction, authentic values should be highlighted in promotional videos.

Originality/value

There has been very little research into the role of the dimensions of authenticity in mediating the relationship between cultural motivation and satisfaction. Unlike previous studies on authenticity and tourism, this research attempted to examine the relationship between cultural travel motivation and satisfaction by involving two dimensions of authenticity into the model.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2022

Filipa Rosado-Pinto and Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review authenticity in the branding context and suggest avenues for future research.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review authenticity in the branding context and suggest avenues for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies a systematic literature review process and analyzes a total of 171 articles published from 1988 to 2021 and three items that are books or book chapters.

Findings

Brand authenticity has several definitions and dimensions. Although some common ground can be found among researchers, the study of authenticity is very fragmented. Even so, brand authenticity is often associated with a brand being genuine, real, true to itself and its consumers, and with consistent behavior, reflecting its values. A growing number of studies about the topic have been published, most of them empirical, applied in different industries and different geographical contexts. The authors also present several constructs associated with the topic (antecedents and consequences). Finally, this study shows paths for scholars to build on.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations are associated with the inherent subjectivity related to the inclusion and exclusion criteria defined to select articles for the analysis.

Originality/value

This systematic review maps the past, structures existing knowledge about authenticity in the branding context, and sheds light on what could be future research in this field.

Details

EuroMed Journal of Business, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1450-2194

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 July 2023

Su Zhang and Yin-Hsi Lo

Kaiping Diaolou in Guangdong Province, China, is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is often used as a film location. This study aims to investigate the antecedents of film-induced…

Abstract

Purpose

Kaiping Diaolou in Guangdong Province, China, is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is often used as a film location. This study aims to investigate the antecedents of film-induced heritage conservation behaviour in tourists visiting Kaiping Diaolou. The conceptual premises of stimulus-organism-response theory were used to provide additional insight into the impact of film- and heritage-induced images, and tourists’ perceived authenticity, destination attachment and heritage conservation intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors tested the hypotheses using covariance-based structural equation modelling by using the data collected from the 391 valid questionnaires.

Findings

The empirical results reveal that both film- and heritage-induced images have a direct impact on tourists’ heritage conservation intention. Furthermore, perceived authenticity and destination attachment fully mediate the relationship between destination image and conservation intention, while the serial multiple mediator effect in the heritage destination image model is not significant.

Originality/value

The findings contribute to the understanding of tourists’ heritage conservation intention through the lens of destination image, perceived authenticity and destination attachment. The study’s findings enrich the literature on film and heritage tourism regarding destination image construction and heritage conservation and have implications for the sustainable development of heritage tourism and heritage conservation, as well as the marketing of heritage sites.

研究目标

位于中国广东省的开平碉楼是联合国教科文组织认证的世界文化遗产, 并经常被用作电影拍摄地。本研究调查了影响开平碉楼影视旅游游客的遗产保护行为的前因。本研究采用刺激-有机体-反应 (SOR) 理论的概念, 探究电影和遗产所诱发的目的地形象、游客的感知真实性和目的地依恋, 对游客遗产保护意图的影响。

研究设计和研究方法

本研究共回收 391 份有效问卷, 并使用基于协方差的结构方程模型来检验研究假设。

发现

实证结果表明, 电影和遗产诱导的目的地形象都直接影响游客的遗产保护意愿。此外, 游客的感知真实性和目的地依恋完全中介了目的地形象与保护意愿之间的关系。但是在遗产目的地形象的模型中, 感知真实性和目的地依恋的串行多重中介效应不显着。

独创性

研究结果有助于通过目的地形象、感知真实性和目的地依恋来理解游客的遗产保护意图。本研究丰富了关于目的地形象建设和遗产保护的文献, 并对遗产旅游和遗产保护的可持续发展以及遗产地的营销产生了积极影响。

Article
Publication date: 5 January 2024

Lunchao Mou, Li Cheng and Geoffrey Wall

This study assessed the antecedents and consequences of tourists’ authenticity experience in a new ancient town in China. Based on Chinese cultural background and case study, this…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study assessed the antecedents and consequences of tourists’ authenticity experience in a new ancient town in China. Based on Chinese cultural background and case study, this paper aims to explore this kind of tourism place making and establishes an empirical model to examine and verify the impact of tourists’ perception, authentic experience and behavioral tendency on such place making, and proposes targeted improvement measures.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a Chinese cultural background and case study, this paper explored a certain kind of tourism place making and established an empirical model to examine and verify the impact of tourists’ perceptions, authentic experiences and behavioral tendencies on such place making; the goals were to try to create a new scale to measure the authenticity of the “new ancient town” in the Chinese context and to propose targeted measures for improvement.

Findings

Research shows that Chinese visitors acquire experiences that they perceive to be authentic when visiting a contrived attraction such as a new ancient town. The dimensions of cultural, functional, product, value and unique authenticity were identified as distinct dimensions of tourists’ authenticity experiences in a new ancient town. Although these dimensions have been mentioned at times in the context of traditional Western assessments of authenticity, they do not replicate exactly any category of Western objective authenticity, existential authenticity, constructive authenticity or postmodern authenticity. They instead constitute an authentic experiential dimension in a typical oriental context, which is comprehensively explicated by combining the image of a national cultural theme and the elements of functional construction created by tourist places in a new ancient town.

Research limitations/implications

This study explored the path relationship among perception of place making – authenticity experience – behavioral intention, but it did not analyze relationships among the dimensions of perception of place making or among the authenticity experience variables. Furthermore, advantage was not taken of the availability of socioeconomic information to look for differences among interviewees with different attributes. In addition, there is a profound cultural and complex theoretical connotation to authenticity in the Chinese context, and the study of a single case is insufficient to fully elucidate meaning in this emerging discourse.

Practical implications

By verifying the path of tourists’ authenticity experiences through the perception of place making, the understanding of the effects of different elements of place making on tourists’ experiences is refined. For space producers, different elements of place making promote tourists’ authenticity experiences to different degrees. Strengthening the construction of the physical environment, marketing and scenes can promote tourists’ authenticity experiences: planning and design, marketing and scene enhancements promote tourists’ functional authenticity experiences; planning and design, the physical environment and marketing enhance tourists’ product authenticity experiences; planning and design, marketing, the physical environment and scene enhancement can improve tourists’ perceptions of value; unique authenticity experiences can be created in the marketing and scenes in new ancient towns.

Social implications

Certain aspects of the space production in new ancient towns can be used to strengthen tourists’ perceptions of value. First, the scene system at scenic spots can be strengthened, catering to tourists’ visual, olfactory and other senses so that they are available in all kinds of weather. Second, the local cultural characteristics of the material environment can be strengthened and the installation of inappropriate cultural symbols can be avoided. Thus, a physical environment that is of local ethnic cultural significance can be created so that both local residents and tourists can perceive the value of the place. Third, the rational layout of the new ancient towns should be established and maintained through the ongoing involvement of professional planning and design teams. Local cultural attributes that are of national significance should be included in the layout and design of the physical environment. Fourth, daily marketing and management actions influence how tourists influence scene value. Therefore, managers of scenic places need to make prudent decisions about and integrate local folk and ethnic characteristics into their marketing, which can promote the sustainable development of tourism effectively (Saarinen, 2018).

Originality/value

First, this study constructed and validated the model and path relationship of the “perception of place making, authentic experience, and behavioral intention,” and it confirmed that the perception of place making had an important impact on tourists’ authentic experiences. Second, the exploratory factor analysis extracted five dimensions of the tourist authenticity experience (i.e. cultural, functional, unique, product and value authenticity) based on China’s context of ming shi, which enriched the connotations of the authenticity experience. Third, this study effectively linked the perception of place making with the real experience and behavioral intention of tourists and expanded the theoretical research boundary of place making to a certain extent.

设计/方法/途径

本文以中国文化背景和案例研究为基础, 对“新古镇”旅游的地方营造进行了探讨, 并建立了实证模型。利用SPSS 23.0和Smart PLS 3.0进行数据分析, 检验和验证游客在类似场所的地方营造感知、真实体验和行为意向的路径关系。

目的

以现代技术手段再造(创造)遗产旅游目的地已经成为一个全球性的现象。本文基于中国的文化背景和案例, 考察和验证了游客对地方营造的感知、真实性体验和行为意向的影响, 尝试创造一种新的尺度来衡量在中国语境下“新古镇”的真实性内涵, 并以此提出了针对性的改善措施。

研究发现

研究表明, 中国游客在参观新古镇等人造景点时, 会获得他们认为真实的体验。文化真实、功能真实、产品真实、价值真实和独特真实是新古镇游客真实性体验的不同维度。它们构成了一个典型东方语境下的真实性内涵, 全面阐述了一个民族文化主题形象与新古镇旅游地方营造功能建设要素的结合。

研究局限/启示

本研究探讨了地方营造知觉-真实性体验-行为意向之间的路径关系, 但未分析地方营造感知各维度之间及真实性体验变量之间的关系。此外, 没有利用社会经济信息的可用性来寻找不同属性受访者之间的差异。此外, 在中国语境中, 真实性有着深刻的文化内涵和复杂的理论内涵, 仅对单个案例的研究不足以充分阐明这一新兴话题的意义

实践意义

对于空间生产者来说, 加强物理环境、营销和场景的建设可以促进游客的真实体验:规划设计、营销和场景的增强可以促进游客的功能真实体验;规划设计、物质环境、营销提升游客的产品真实性体验;规划设计、营销、实体环境和场景提升可以提升游客的价值感知;在新古镇的营销和场景中应创造独特的真实性体验。

社会启示

新古镇地方营造的某些方面可以提升游客的价值感知。首先, 通过迎合游客的视觉、嗅觉和其他感官, 加强景区的场景系统。其次, 可以创造一个具有当地民族文化意义的物质环境, 使当地居民和游客都能感受到这个地方的价值。第三, 通过专业规划设计团队的持续参与, 建立和维护新古镇的合理布局。第四, 日常营销和管理行为影响游客的价值体验。

原创性/价值

首先, 本研究构建并验证了“地方营造感知、真实体验与行为意向”的模型和路径关系, 证实了地方营造感知对游客真实体验的重要影响。其次, 基于中国语境, EFA提取了旅游真实性体验的五个维度(文化真实、功能真实、独特真实、产品真实和价值真实), 丰富了真实性体验的内涵。第三, 本研究将游客的地方营造感知、真实体验和行为意向进行了有效地连接。

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Basándose en un contexto cultural chino y en un estudio de caso, este artículo exploró la creación de lugares turísticos en la “nueva ciudad antigua” y estableció un modelo empírico. Se utilizaron SPSS 23.0 y Smart PLS 3.0 para el análisis de datos, con el fin de examinar y verificar la relación entre las percepciones de la creación de lugares, las experiencias auténticas y las intenciones de comportamiento de los turistas en dichos lugares.

Propósito

La recreación moderna de lugares como atracciones turísticas patrimoniales es un fenómeno mundial. Partiendo de un contexto cultural chino y de un estudio de caso, este artículo examina y verifica el impacto de las percepciones de los turistas, las experiencias auténticas y las tendencias de comportamiento en dicha creación de lugares; los objetivos eran intentar crear una nueva escala para medir la autenticidad de la “nueva ciudad antigua” en el contexto chino y proponer medidas específicas de mejora.

Hallazgos

La investigación muestra que los visitantes chinos adquieren experiencias que perciben como auténticas cuando visitan una atracción artificial como una nueva ciudad antigua. Las dimensiones de autenticidad cultural, funcional, de producto, de valor y única se identificaron como dimensiones distintas de las experiencias de autenticidad de los turistas en una nueva ciudad antigua. Éstas constituyen una auténtica dimensión experiencial en un contexto típicamente oriental, que se explica de forma exhaustiva combinando la imagen de un tema cultural nacional con los elementos de construcción funcional creados por los lugares turísticos de una nueva ciudad antigua.

Limitaciones de la investigación/implicaciones

Este estudio exploró la relación entre la percepción de la creación de lugares, la experiencia de autenticidad y la intención de comportamiento, pero no analizó las relaciones entre las dimensiones de la percepción de la creación de lugares, ni entre las variables de la experiencia de autenticidad. Además, no se aprovechó la disponibilidad de información socioeconómica para buscar diferencias entre entrevistados con distintos atributos. Adicionalmente, en el contexto chino, la autenticidad tiene profundas connotaciones culturales y teóricas complejas, y el estudio de un solo caso no basta para dilucidar plenamente la importancia de este tema emergente.

Implicaciones prácticas

Para los productores de espacios, reforzar la construcción del entorno físico, el marketing y las escenas puede promover las experiencias de autenticidad de los turistas: la planificación y el diseño, el marketing y la mejora de las escenas promueve las experiencias de autenticidad funcional de los turistas; la planificación y el diseño, el entorno físico y el marketing mejoran las experiencias de autenticidad de los productos de los turistas; la planificación y el diseño, el marketing, el entorno físico y la mejora de las escenas pueden mejorar la percepción de valor de los turistas; se pueden crear experiencias de autenticidad únicas en el marketing y las escenas de las nuevas ciudades antiguas.

Implicaciones sociales

Ciertos aspectos de la creación de lugares en las nuevas ciudades antiguas pueden mejorar la percepción de valor de los turistas. En primer lugar, puede reforzarse el sistema escénico de los lugares de interés, atendiendo a los sentidos visuales, olfativos y de otro tipo de los turistas. En segundo lugar, se puede crear un entorno físico que tenga un significado cultural étnico local para que tanto los residentes locales como los turistas puedan percibir el valor del lugar. En tercer lugar, el trazado racional de las nuevas ciudades antiguas debe establecerse y mantenerse mediante la participación continua de equipos profesionales de planificación y diseño. En cuarto lugar, las acciones diarias de marketing y gestión influyen en la experiencia de valor del turista.

Originalidad/valor

En primer lugar, este estudio construyó y validó el modelo y la relación entre la “percepción de la creación de lugares, la experiencia auténtica y la intención de comportamiento,” lo que confirmó la importante influencia de la percepción de la creación de lugares en la experiencia auténtica de los turistas. En segundo lugar, basándose en el contexto chino, el análisis factorial exploratorio extrajo cinco dimensiones de la experiencia de autenticidad turística (autenticidad cultural, funcional, única, del producto y del valor), que enriquecieron las connotaciones de la experiencia de autenticidad. En tercer lugar, este estudio vinculó eficazmente las percepciones de los turistas sobre la creación de lugares, con la experiencia real y con las intenciones de comportamiento de los turistas.

Article
Publication date: 24 October 2023

Yun Liu and Xin Sun

This paper aims to explore the impact of live streamer authenticity (LSA) on purchase intention in tourism e-commerce live streaming, with a focus on boundary conditions and…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of live streamer authenticity (LSA) on purchase intention in tourism e-commerce live streaming, with a focus on boundary conditions and underlying mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

The data collected from 451 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

This paper found that four dimensions of LSA – sincerity, truthfulness endorsement, expertise and uniqueness – positively influenced purchase intention, while visibility did not. In addition, sincerity, truthfulness endorsement and uniqueness had an indirect influence on purchase intention through flow experience, while sincerity, truthfulness endorsement, expertise and uniqueness had an indirect effect through perceived trust. Furthermore, self-construal moderated the effect of sincerity and truthfulness endorsement on purchase intention, with the positive effect being stronger for the dependent self-construal.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first study to examine LSA dimensions and their consequences. This paper not only provides a better and more detailed understanding of the complexity of LSA but also contributes to the development of authenticity theory by responding to individual authenticity studies.

目的

本文旨在研究旅游直播电商中主播真实性对旅游购买意向的影响, 及其内在机制和边界条件。

设计/方法/途径

本文采用问卷调查的方法收集451名参与者的数据。然后用结构方程模型(SEM)对收集的数据进行分析。

结果

本文发现, 主播真实性的四个维度–真诚性、真实背书、专业性和独特性–对购买意愿有积极影响, 而主播的透明性没有影响。此外, 真诚性、真实背书和独特性通过心流体验对购买意愿产生间接影响, 此外真诚性、真实背书、专业性和独特性还通过感知信任产生间接影响。此外, 自我建构调节了真诚性和真实背书对购买意向的影响。对于依赖型自我建构, 真诚性和真实背书对购买意愿的影响更强。

原创性/价值

本文是最早探讨主播真实性维度及其后果影响的研究之一。本文不仅对主播真实性的复杂性有了更好更详细的了解, 而且响应了对个体真实性研究的呼吁, 为真实性理论的发展做出了贡献。

Objetivo

Este artículo explora el impacto de la autenticidad del streamer en la intención de compra en la retransmisión en directo de comercio electrónico turístico, centrándose en las limitaciones y los procesos subyacentes.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Se analizaron los datos recopilados de 451 participantes utilizando un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM).

Resultados

Este trabajo halló que cuatro dimensiones de la autenticidad de los streamers en directo -la sinceridad, el respaldo a la veracidad, la pericia y la singularidad- influían positivamente en la intención de compra, mientras que la visibilidad no lo hacía. Además, la sinceridad, el respaldo de veracidad y la singularidad influyeron indirectamente en la intención de compra a través de la experiencia de flujo, mientras que la sinceridad, el respaldo de veracidad, la pericia y la singularidad tuvieron un efecto indirecto a través de la confianza percibida. Además, la autoconstrucción moderó el efecto de la sinceridad y el respaldo de veracidad sobre la intención de compra, siendo el efecto positivo más fuerte para la autoconstrucción dependiente.

Originalidad/valor

Es el primer estudio que examina las dimensiones de la autenticidad de los retransmisores en directo y sus consecuencias. Este trabajo no sólo proporciona una comprensión mejor y más detallada de la complejidad de la autenticidad de los streamers en directo, sino que también contribuye al desarrollo de la teoría de la autenticidad al responder a los estudios sobre autenticidad individual.

Article
Publication date: 29 March 2024

Hande Akyurt Kurnaz, Onur Cüneyt Kahraman, Alper Kurnaz and Ozan Atsız

This study aims to examine how travellers’ non-immersive virtual heritage authenticity, sense of presence and virtual tour satisfaction stimulate their behavioural intentions…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how travellers’ non-immersive virtual heritage authenticity, sense of presence and virtual tour satisfaction stimulate their behavioural intentions (continuance and travel intention) within the stimulus–organism–response model.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was designed to survey Turkish travellers (n = 275) participating in a virtual tour. A structural equation modelling method was used to estimate the model and test the research hypotheses.

Findings

Research findings revealed that four out of six hypotheses were supported. Based on the study outputs, authenticity and sense of presence impact overall travellers’ satisfaction. Furthermore, satisfaction influences continuance intention and travel intention.

Originality/value

The study presents a pioneering effort to investigate tourists’ non-immersive virtual heritage tour experiences in a developing destination context through a theoretical framework.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9880

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 April 2024

Neena Sinha, Sanjay Dhingra, Ritu Sehrawat, Varnika Jain and Himanshu Himanshu

The emergence of virtual reality (VR) has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including tourism, as it delivers a simulated environment that closely emulates…

Abstract

Purpose

The emergence of virtual reality (VR) has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including tourism, as it delivers a simulated environment that closely emulates real-life experiences. Therefore, this study aims to explore how the factors, i.e. enjoyment, emotional involvement, flow state, perceived privacy risk, physical risk and cost, influence the customers’ intention to use VR for tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study integrates the technology acceptance model, hedonic consumption theory with other factors, including cognitive response, authenticity, perceived privacy risk, perceived physical risk, perceived cost and perceived presence. Partial least squares structural equation modelling approach was used to test the proposed research model.

Findings

The finding based on the sample of 252 respondents revealed that authenticity is the most influential factor impacting behavior intention followed by perceived cost, attitude, cognitive response and enjoyment. Also, the study supported the moderating impact of personal innovativeness between attitude and behavioral intention to use VR for tourism.

Practical implications

The findings of the study offers practical implications for service providers, site managers, destination marketers, tourist organizations and policymaker to develop more effective strategies for offering VR services for tourism.

Originality/value

This study enriches the current understanding of VR adoption in context of tourism with empirical evidences.

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2023

Ing Grace Phang and Yuting Zylvia Kong

Adopting the unified theory of the acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) and the theory of substitutability, this study examines both the technical and sensory factors…

Abstract

Purpose

Adopting the unified theory of the acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) and the theory of substitutability, this study examines both the technical and sensory factors influencing Malaysians' intention to adopt virtual tours (IA) and subsequent intention to visit an actual heritage site (IV) in the heritage traveling decision-making process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected a total of 278 valid survey responses via purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS26 and SmartPLS4 software.

Findings

The findings support the significant positive effect of IA on IV, which supplements evidence to subdue misapprehensions that virtual tours (VTs) are competitors or substitutes for in-person visitations. Perceived substitutability was found to have an indirect impact on IV through IA, further proving the mediating role of IA in influencing IV. Technical and sensory factors, namely performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, habit and perceived substitutability of IA, were shown to be critical in influencing IA; however, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions were not.

Practical implications

This study offers sustainable and practical implications to the tourism industry as well as potential visitors, who can utilize VTs to determine whether targeted tourism destinations are worthy of investing their resources. The findings suggest that the virtual tour experience contributes to tourists' IV by successfully piquing tourists' interest to physically visit heritage sites in the future. The virtual tour could be utilized to generate demand in times of temporary replacement or closure. Destination marketing organizations and destination management companies should consider the technical and sensory aspects of VTs, specifically prioritizing the hedonic motivation factor.

Originality/value

This study integrates the UTAUT2 and theory of substitutability to shed light on the adoption of technological alternatives in the heritage tourism context. Importantly, this study serves as the pioneer effort in examining the interplay of perceived substitutability in the relationship between IA and IV.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2023

Kyunghwa Hwang, M. Claudia tom Dieck, Timothy Jung and Ohbyung Kwon

The purpose of this study is to expand the experience economy model and to determine if this model provides a better understanding of the process of growing intention to continue…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to expand the experience economy model and to determine if this model provides a better understanding of the process of growing intention to continue using religious cultural heritage content delivered digitally and intention to visit religious cultural heritage sites. In particular, it examines the influence of spiritual experience on the evaluation of religious cultural heritage content, comparing delivery via virtual reality (VR) to a web-based experience.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a representative religious cultural heritage destination, Jerusalem, was chosen as an example for the application. Participants (n = 292) were randomly divided into two groups, one group using the web and the other group experiencing VR. After experiencing the destination virtually, participants completed a survey, the results of which were analyzed using path analysis and multi-group analysis.

Findings

The results suggest that spiritual experience mediates the four elements of Pine and Gilmore (1998) experience economy model and the intention to continue engaging with the content virtually. Intellectual awareness of religious cultural heritage strengthens the spiritual experience, which mediates educational and aesthetic experiences and the successful use of VR and the web. Additionally, for participants experiencing VR, the influence of spiritual experience on the intention to continue using the virtual media to consume content related to religious cultural heritage sites and to visit actual religious heritage sites was stronger than for participants using the web.

Originality/value

This study based on an expanded experience economy model explores the use of digital technologies for the enhancement of spiritual experience. Comparison of web-based and VR content delivery provides important implications for destination marketers in terms of promoting destinations online and encouraging intention to visit actual sites in the future.

Details

Internet Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

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