گردشگری و اوقات فراغت (Mar 2025)
The Effect of Virtual Tour on the Intention to Book Tourist Destination
Abstract
Abstract Considering the global and competitive market that exists in the tourism industry, the managers and decision makers of this field are forced to pay attention and use new tools to attract more tourists to their tourist attractions and places, which is one of these tools. New is virtual reality.the purpose of the current research is to measure the impact of virtual reality through the sense of presence on the intention to book tourist destination hotels. which is practical in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of method. The statistical population of the research was the students of the universities of Tehran city, using the available sampling of 120 people according to the type of virtual tour display (smartphone or computer and virtual reality glasses) and the use or non-use of auditory stimuli in the form of four company groups. they did the instrument of data collection is a questionnaire whose validity and reliability were tested. The obtained data were analyzed by structural equation technique and two-way analysis of variance test with mutual influence. The findings indicated that the type of display and the presence or absence of sound affect the sense of presence in the virtual environment, while they do not have an interactive effect in creating a sense of presence. Also, the sense of presence with the impression of the virtual tour display and sound, through visual appeal and easy visualization, have an effect on the intention to book tourist destination hotels. Keywords: Sense of Presence, Booking Intention, Virtual Tourism, Auditory Stimulus 1. Introduction Tourism is one of the most dynamic economic activities of today. Between 1995 and 2019, the number of international tourists has been increasing almost continuously. The largest and most unprecedented global drop began in the spring of 2020. At that time, almost all countries imposed severe travel restrictions due to the Corona epidemic, which caused a decrease in income and a significant drop in the number of tourists internationally. In order for organizations to be able to resist the changes caused by such crises, they should refrain from common methods and increase their attention towards new technologies so that they can adopt new solutions according to the circumstances. One of the emerging areas of technology is virtual reality, which digitizes all aspects of human life, and will undoubtedly change the behavior of buyers, brands, and retailers. Virtual tourism transcends the limitations of space and time and opens up a new opportunity for It provides the development of tourism activities. With the advancement of technology and the expansion of people's access to it, the applications of virtual reality in the tourism sector are also developing. In the tourism industry, virtual reality can act as a complete and perfect tool to inspire tourists and travelers. For example, hotels can provide personal services to their guests and attract the young generation of consumers. use this technology. Despite the high cost and difficulty of integrating virtual reality technology with the existing workflow, virtual reality can be a powerful tool for marketing and advertising and lead to increased guest satisfaction and improved efficiency during reservation times.Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of virtual tour through the sense of presence on the intention to book tourist destination hotels, so that the results can help destination marketers and managers to understand the response of potential tourists to virtual reality stimuli as a new tool. Help in the marketing of tourism destinations. This study will help managers of tourist destination hotels to use the results of this research in the field of tourism destination marketing. 2. Methodology The present study examines the impact of virtual reality on the intention to reserve a tourist destination hotel. The research is philosophically positivist and practically applied, with a quasi-experimental field study design and a descriptive research objective. The research population includes all students of Tehran universities. Sampling is done using the available method, with a minimum sample size of 120 participants distributed among four experimental groups. Data collection involves both library research and fieldwork. The research employs a 2 × 2 experimental design to investigate the role of VR displays and the influence of sensory stimuli on spatial presence and behavioral intentions. Data analysis is conducted using structural equation modeling with partial least squares and two-way ANOVA. Reliability is assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and validity is established through content and convergent validity measures. 3. Results The data analysis revealed that the sense of presence has a positive effect on visual attractiveness. Additionally, visual attractiveness also has a positive impact on booking intention. Moreover, the sense of presence positively influences ease of visualization, acting as a mediator for its effect on booking intention. The results of the two-way analysis of variance indicate that both display type and the presence or absence of auditory stimuli have a significant effect on the sense of presence. But, no interactive effect between these two variables was observed. 4. Conclusion The role of virtual reality in visualizing destinations and post-experience behavioral intentions aligns with the developed findings. These studies indicate that prior familiarity with a destination elevates personal knowledge and attitudes toward it. Consequently, positive behavioral inclinations such as physical visits and word-of-mouth advertising are encouraged, leading to increased visitor numbers and economic enhancement in tourist destinations. Moreover, virtual experiences of destinations can increase the likelihood of purchasing and tourist attention.
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