The role of COVID-19 anxiety and social contact within technology readiness and acceptance model for virtual reality

Abstract

This research aims to question the current threats posed by COVID-19 anxiety and the concept of social contact brought up by the pandemic, with the goal of extending the TRAM model within the context of tourism and virtual reality (VR). The sample of the study comprises of 300 participants taking part in a touristic activity within the last year and experiencing the lockdown period. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is used for data analysis. According to the findings, COVID-19 anxiety significantly enhances attitudes toward VR, social contact as a tourist role, and perceived usefulness (PU) toward VR. However, social contact is shown not to have a significant effect on attitudes toward VR. Lastly, technological readiness predicts perceived ease of use (PEOU) and PU of VR. The two, in turn, affect attitudes toward virtual reality technology (AVR), which positively affects behavioral intention toward virtual reality technology, namely, BIVR. Insights derived from the study extend present knowledge concerning TRAM, COVID-19 anxiety, virtual reality, social contact as a value, and provide various recovery marketing-oriented strategies for tourism professionals.