Exploring the critical success factors of virtual reality adoption in the hotel industry

PurposeThis qualitative study aims to investigate the critical success factors (CSFs) driving the adoption of virtual reality (VR) in the hospitality industry, shedding light on key determinants for successful implementation.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on a diverse set of interviews conducted in Italy, Pakistan, the USA and Turkey, this study uses thematic analysis facilitated by NVivo 12 to comprehensively explore and identify the CSFs influencing VR adoption within the global hospitality industry.FindingsThis study identifies distinct CSFs at various phases of VR adoption in the hospitality industry. Preimplementation emphasizes budget planning and stakeholder engagement, implementation highlights safety training and feedback mechanisms and postimplementation underscores the importance of innovation, feedback utilization and maintenance for sustained success. These findings offer a strategic roadmap for VR integration in hospitality.Practical implicationsThe study informs hospitality industry stakeholders of crucial success factors for VR adoption, thereby guiding strategic decision-making. Sustained VR integration success is ensured by emphasizing budget planning, stakeholder engagement, safety training, feedback mechanisms and postimplementation innovation.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this groundbreaking research is the first in-depth investigation into CSFs for the adoption of VR in the hospitality industry. This research advances our understanding of and provides fresh guidance for effective VR integration by revealing novel insights into the key variables at various deployment phases.