Enhancing visit intention in heritage tourism: The role of object‐based and existential authenticity in non‐immersive virtual reality heritage experiences

Abstract

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) plays a relevant role in the tourism sector, specifically in experiences of remote attractions. The influence of VR experiences on tourist experiential factors such as authenticity and satisfaction has attracted limited attention. This paper investigates the role of object‐based and existential authenticity in non‐immersive virtual heritage tours. A theoretically driven model was tested on data from 2085 individuals who visited “Su Nuraxi” UNESCO site (Italy). Findings indicate that object‐based authenticity influences affective response, which predicts satisfaction, attachment to VR and visit intention. Existential authenticity influences both cognitive and affective dimensions, which affect attachment to VR, satisfaction and visit intention.