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. 2021 Jul:60:101575.
doi: 10.1016/j.tele.2021.101575. Epub 2021 Jan 22.

Virus tinged? Exploring the facets of virtual reality use in tourism as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

Andreea F Schiopu  1 , Remus I Hornoiu  1 , Mihaela A Padurean  1 , Ana-Maria Nica  1
Affiliations

Virus tinged? Exploring the facets of virtual reality use in tourism as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

Andreea F Schiopu et al. Telemat Inform. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Several studies have investigated the use of virtual reality (VR) in tourism, but none has taken an epidemiological outlook. This research examined the use of VR in tourism through the lenses of an extended TAM model in times of COVID-19 pandemic. The premise was that, in this context, people would prefer less risky experiences and would see VR as a substitute for traditional travel. The data used was collected through a within-subjects experiment, which proved that intention to use VR in tourism increased under the COVID-19 effect. This study tested a conceptual model that showed this intention was influenced by the perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived substitutability of VR, all mediated by people's interest in VR use in tourism. The perceived authenticity of VR experience determined the perceived substitutability of VR. This paper has theoretical and practical implications. In the long term, promoting tourism-related VR activities might reduce the risk of virus spreading, lessen the pressure imposed on this sector by such epidemic episodes, and increase its sustainability.

Keywords: Perceived substitutability of VR; Technology Acceptance Model (TAM); VR use in tourism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Proposed research model. Black lines – Hypotheses, Blue lines – Items, Dotted lines – Mediating effect. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Analysis of means.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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