Morrison, Alastair ORCID: 0000-0002-0754-1083, Bag, Sudin and Mandal, Kousik (2023) Virtual reality’s impact on destination visit intentions and the moderating role of amateur photography. Tourism Review. ISSN 1660-5373 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-12-2022-0621)

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Abstract

Purpose - This research investigated the effects of virtual reality experiences (VREs) and emotions on holiday destination visit intentions by applying the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework. It also examined the role of amateur photography as a moderator in the relationship between VREs, emotions, and visit intentions.
Design/methodology/approach - Primary data were collected through a structured survey questionnaire administered in India, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine the relationships among variables. The formal survey was preceded by a pilot study. The PLS-SEM product indicator technique was applied to measure the moderation effect of amateur photography.
Findings - When people have high levels of positive emotions in the pre-travel stage with VRE participation, their intentions to visit destinations are stronger. Amateur photography moderated the relationships between user interactivity, memorable experiences, mental imagery, and visit intentions. No significant moderating effect was found between emotional experiences and visit intentions.
Originality/value – This research has value in making several potential contributions to the tourism applications of virtual reality. It is the first study to use and test the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework to analyse tourist behaviour from the perspective of emotions generated by VR applications. The analysis focuses on India's tourism market, which has not been explored much in the context of VR and from the perspective of a developing country. The research emphasises the use of VR as a tool to understand tourist behaviour, rather than just focusing on visit intentions. The findings provide valuable insights into the importance of VR in tourism. The knowledge generated will contribute to the understanding of the impact of VR experiences on emotions and visit intentions and the moderating effect of amateur photography. It has practical implications for destination marketers in developing effective marketing strategies that enhance tourists' emotions and motivate visit intentions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	virtual reality experiences; emotional experiences; visit intentions; holiday destinations; amateur photography; S-O-R framework; structural equation modelling
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure H Social Sciences > HF Commerce T Technology > TR Photography
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Business
Last Modified:	22 Aug 2023 07:31
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/42995

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