The Impact of Virtual Travel Experience in Gamescape on University Student-Players’ Travel Intention: A Field Experimental Approach
Xiaopeng Yang, Jun Gao, C.H. Wu, Chaozhi Zhang · Journal of China Tourism Research · 2025
Video games as an emerging medium for destination marketing have gained momentum since the pandemic. This study proposes and examines a conceptual model to investigate the relationship between interactivity, vividness, and immersion of virtual travel experiences within gamescapes and university student-players’ travel intention, with telepresence as a mediator. Data were collected through a field survey and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings are that the vividness and immersion of the virtual travel experience have a positive impact on telepresence, yet the impact of interactivity on telepresence is not significant. University student-players’ attitude toward the destination fully mediates the relationship between telepresence and travel intention. This study deepens the theoretical exploration of game-induced tourism, enriching research scope on virtual tourism and media-induced tourism.