Exploring the impact of virtual reality quality on travel intention from the perspective of destination marketing

Ahmed, Bilal; Tao, Meng; Alam, Faizan; Murtaza, Syed Hussain

doi:10.5958/2321-2012.2023.00018.0

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Other research has also emphasized the importance of perceptual factors in virtual heritage contexts. Siddiqui et al and Ahmed et al [85,86] examined the impact of visual realism on users' experiences in virtual heritage tourism settings, discovering that higher levels of realism enhanced presence, enjoyment, and knowledge acquisition. Similarly, Besoain, González-Ortega, and Gallardo [87] explored how different degrees of visual abstraction influenced users' understanding and appreciation of cultural heritage in virtual environments.…”

Section: Perception In Cultural Tourism and Virtual Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Silk Roads: Leveraging the Metaverse for Cultural Tourism within the Belt and Road Initiative Framework

Dayoub,

Yang,

Omran

et al. 2024

Electronics

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The advent of the Metaverse, a convergence of virtual and physical realities, presents unprecedented opportunities for promoting cultural tourism along the historic Silk Roads within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework. However, this emerging technology’s potential remains largely unexplored in the context of cultural heritage preservation and its promotion. The aim of this study is to address this gap by empirically examining how the Metaverse can be harnessed to improve tourists’ experiences, support sustainable tourism development, and promote cultural exchange along the Silk Roads. In this study, we employed a mixed-methods approach grounded in attribution theory, using both surveys and semi-structured interviews with Silk Road tourists who had been exposed to Metaverse applications. To investigate the relationships between Metaverse features, tourists’ attributions, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions, we used structural equation modeling and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that perceived immersion, avatar identification, and cultural authenticity significantly influenced tourists’ internal, stable, and controllable attributions. Interviews further highlighted the Metaverse’s potential to promote accessibility, interpretation, and engagement with Silk Road heritage, while also raising sociocultural and ethical considerations. This paper also showcases the development of Metaverse digital twin prototypes for several iconic Silk Road cities to demonstrate the potential for participatory virtual environments to promote cultural heritage preservation, accessibility, and sustainable tourism. The study’s findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of Metaverse tourism and the application of attribution theory, offering practical insight for the responsible and effective harnessing of this transformative technology. This research provides actionable recommendations for policymakers, destination managers, and technology providers to optimize the Metaverse’s potential for cultural tourism along the Silk Roads. This has great potential in promoting the BRI’s connectivity and cooperation objectives. This paper lays the foundation for future research and responsible innovation at the intersection of emerging technologies, cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism development.

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Section: Perception In Cultural Tourism and Virtual Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%