How virtual tourism influences travel intention: a study combined with eye movement and scenario experiment

To explore the impact of virtual tourism on travel intention, this study developed the model incorporating virtual tourism content and form, visual appeal, presence, virtual attachment, and travel intention. Eye movement experiments, scenario experiments, and questionnaire surveys were integrated. Analysis of 48 eye movement datasets and 210 survey responses indicated that virtual tourism affected travel intention mostly through visual appeal: (1) Regarding visual appeal, videos of real scenes were stronger than videos of virtual scenes, and videos of virtual scenes were stronger than pictures of virtual scenes. (2) Visual appeal had a direct positive effect on travel intention.