Exploring non‐immersive virtual reality experiences in tourism: Empirical evidence from a world heritage site

Abstract

Abstract With the popularization of the concept of the metaverse, non‐immersive virtual reality (VR) has become a focus of tourism destination marketing. Drawing upon telepresence theory, this study identifies the antecedents and consequences of telepresence to help interpret tourist behavior in the context of non‐immersive VR experience. Results revealed that mental imagery and vividness positively predict tourist telepresence and satisfaction; Telepresence positively predicts satisfaction and intention during non‐immersive VR experiences. Our work enriches telepresence theory by identifying the antecedents and consequences of telepresence in the context of non‐immersive VR, and provides meaningful practical insights for similar attractions that adopt the technology.