How awe affects value co-creation in virtual reality tourism experience

While virtual reality tourism can stimulate positive emotions in tourists, the impact of these emotions on tourist participation, value co-creation processes, and the role of awe in tourism remain largely unexplored. This study is the first to explore the antecedents of co-creation in virtual reality tourism and reveal the role of awe in shaping co-creation. It investigated how awe induced by virtual scenic attractions can enhance tourists’ experience and collaborative participation. An online survey utilizing the “Zhangjiajie Planet” XR metaverse platform served as the research stimulus. Data analysis was conducted on 556 valid responses collected from the survey, employing SPSS and AMOS for statistical evaluation. Awe was directly related to value co-creation and indirectly affected value co-creation through telepresence and content attachment. The findings highlight the importance of considering awe as a critical experiential component in the development of virtual tourism.