Searching for Experiences

Abstract

Abstract Destination marketers are increasingly providing opportunities for Web-based virtual tours in their destination promotion efforts. However, it appears that the concept of “virtual tour” remains undefined and little attention has been paid to the potential impact of virtual tours both from the industry and academic perspectives. The purpose of this study is to conceptualize the notion of Web-based virtual tour and examine the effects of Web-based virtual tour on tourism marketing. Propositions are developed throughout the paper to highlight the properties of the virtual tour. Implications are discussed as to how tourism organizations could better market their destinations by utilizing the Web-based virtual tour.