A hedonic motivation model in virtual reality tourism: Comparing visitors and non-visitors

Virtual reality (VR) tourism provides consumers with the opportunity to experience a destination in VR and can play a significant role in encouraging visitation and engaging in particular travel activities and behaviors. Hedonic motivation adoption frameworks with flow state and subjective well-being have been shown to have significant roles in continued use of information technology. However, research on a theoretically integrated hedonic motivation system adoption model (HMSAM) specifically with enjoyment, flow state, subjective wellbeing, and continued use has not previously been conducted with respect to VR tourism. To address this gap, this study develops and investigates a conceptually comprehensive model on the effect of consumers' hedonic behaviors on continued use, with the moderating role of visitor or non-visitor at the destination portrayed in VR tourism. Results identified the highly significant effect of consumers' perceived enjoyment on flow state and of flow state on subjective well-being. Continued use was greatly influenced by flow state and subjective wellbeing. Importantly for destinations association between usefulness and flow state had a significant moderating effect depending on whether a visitor or non-visitor. The findings offer new knowledge to researchers and industry in the VR tourism fields.