EXPLORING WAR TOURISM THROUGH THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF CONFLICT SITUATIONS

Abstract

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had a significant impact on the country's tourism industry, with many regions becoming inaccessible or unattractive due to safety concerns. VR tourism in war zones, a form of tourism that involves visiting areas affected by conflict, disaster, or civil unrest, has become a topic of interest in the context of the war in Ukraine. To investigate the intention to use VR tourism in the war zone, an integrated framework was proposed by combining key elements such as interest in VR tourism in the war zone and the technology acceptance model (TAM). A sample of 121 respondents was collected in January 2021, and hypotheses were tested using a PLS-SEM model. This research tested a conceptual model that showed that the intention to use VR tourism in the war zone was influenced by perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude toward the use of VR tourism in the war zone, all partially or fully mediated by people's interest in VR tourism in the war zone. This paper has theoretical and managerial implications.