Place Attachment Through Virtual Reality: A Comparative Study in Douro Region (Northern Portugal) with Video and 'Real' Visit

Abstract

Immersive technologies, such as virtual reality, could be effective marketing tools for destination marketing, namely in creating place attachment prior experience the destination. Place attachment plays a significant role in behavioural intentions to visit and to recommend a destination. However, place attachment research is relatively new in the tourism context. This study seeks to empirically examine the effectiveness of Virtual Reality in creating place attachment to destinations exploring the changes in the place attachment after two moments. First, after watching a video and after having an experience in the Virtual Reality environment. Second, after the experience in the Virtual Reality environment and after the 'real' visit to a representative viewpoint in Douro region. Students belonging to Gen Z were sampled. Findings reflect that Virtual Reality has potentialities for marketing destinations.