Abstract
Tourism consumption has been outlined as having a positive effect on individuals' subjective wellbeing, however, we had limited empirical or conceptual understanding on the propensity of VR tourism in fostering positive subjective wellbeing and the subsequent effects this has for tourism providers and policymakers. A vacation transports one's self to an alternative world, physically. In parallel, VR transports one's self to an alternative world, virtually. Accordingly, through a multiple quantitative study research-design and drawing on the theoretical lens of Presence-Theory and Effort-Recovery-Theory, this research uncovers the positive effect of VR tourism on individuals' subjective wellbeing, the nuance of the sense of presence in VR tourism in enabling psychological-detachment and enhancing consumer wellbeing along with the subsequent attitude and behaviour intentions stimulated by consumer wellbeing. Our results pertain that not only can VR tourism provide important societal and health benefits in recovery and enhancing individuals' wellbeing, but also benefits from an economic perspective.
•Sense of presence in VR-tourism enhances psychological detachment.•Sense of presence in VR-tourism enhances subjective wellbeing.•Subjective Wellbeing positively influences attitudes towards a destination.•Subjective Wellbeing positively influences willingness to pay for VR-tourism.•Multi study methodology with Google Cardboard VR devices.