Virtual travel experience and destination marketing: Effects of sense and information quality on flow and visit intention

Abstract

In the digital age, virtual reality (VR) has become a new tool for destination marketing. Building on flow theory and the stimuli-organism-response model, this study examined the psychological process through which the VR travel evokes flow and leads to satisfaction and visit intention. Two key attributes of VR travel, sense and information quality, were identified and found to positively influence tourists’ flow experience. Flow in VR travel consisted of multiple dimensions (telepresence, focused attention, and temporal distortion). Only telepresence and focused attention positively led to a high level of satisfaction. The former had a stronger effect than the latter. The effect of temporal distortion on satisfaction was not significant. Satisfaction with the VR tour experience also positively led to visits to the focal destination of the VR travel. • Identifies three flow dimensions (telepresence, attention, and distortion). • VR travel attributes (sense and information quality) influence flow dimensions. • Telepresence and attention has positive effects on satisfaction with VR travel. • A positive relationship exists between satisfaction with VR travel and intention.