Linking virtual authentic experiences to revisit intention: the moderating role of destination preference

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a strategic tool for destination marketing; however, the mechanisms through which VR-based authentic experiences translate into revisit intention remain insufficiently theorized. Drawing upon multidimensional authenticity theory and relationship marketing perspectives, this study develops and empirically tests a structural model explaining how VR authentic experience influences revisit intention through differentiated authenticity perceptions, relational orientation, and advocacy mechanisms. Using survey data from 857 respondents and PLS-SEM analysis, the findings demonstrate that VR authentic experience significantly activates all four authenticity dimensions. Existential authenticity (β = 0.481) and constructive authenticity (β = 0.479) exhibit nearly identical and strongest effects, followed by objective authenticity (β = 0.423) and postmodern authenticity (β = 0.317). Results reveal that authenticity perceptions primarily influence revisit intention indirectly through perceived destination brand relationship orientation (PDBRO), which emerged as the most powerful direct predictor of revisit intention (β = 0.574). Mediation analysis confirms that relational orientation constitutes the dominant transmission mechanism, particularly for constructive and objective authenticity, whereas advocacy plays a comparatively weaker role. Furthermore, destination preference selectively moderates the advocacy-revisit relationship but does not strengthen the relational pathway, indicating that relational embeddedness operates independently of comparative prioritization. Overall, the findings reposition relational consolidation as the central mechanism through which VR-based authentic experiences generate future visitation intentions. By integrating authenticity theory with relationship marketing in immersive digital contexts, this study advances theoretical understanding of VR tourism and provides strategic insights for destination managers seeking to convert virtual engagement into sustained behavioral commitment.