Using virtual reality for tourism marketing: A mediating role of self-presence

Despite increasing interest in using virtual reality (VR) for tourism marketing, limited empirical evidence exists regarding consumers’ psychological response toward VR. The current study investigates the effectiveness of different media—head-mounted display (HMD) or computer—used to view 360-degree tourism promotional videos as well as the impact of different information sources featured in a VR tourism video on destination image formation and intention to visit. The experiment featured a 2 (media: HMD vs. computer) x 2 (information source: tour guide vs. peer) between-subjects design. Findings indicate that the type of media used to view VR promotional videos significantly impacts destination image but not intention to visit. The role of different types of information sources on destination image and intention to visit was found to be non-significant. The findings suggest that virtual reality offers an effective means to promote tourism, particularly because the enhanced sense of presence provided via HMD leads to a more positive image of the destination.