The Influence of Virtual Reality Experience on Tourists’Behavioral Intention toward Ice and Snow Sports Tourism = 가상현실 체험이 빙상 및 설상 스포츠 관광에 대한 관광객의 행동 의도에 미치는 영향

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

With the rapid integration of the digital and experience economies, virtual reality （VR） has become an important tool for tourism marketing and experience design. However, the psychological mechanism through which VR influences tourists’ decision making remains unclear. Based on the Stimulus–Organism–Response （S-O-R） framework, this study examines how VR-based ice and snow experiences affect potential tourists’ behavioral intentions. VR experience was conceptualized as a composite stimulus and measured through three dimensions: immersion, interactivity, and realism. Perceived value and cultural identity were introduced as mediating variables to construct an integrated research model. Using 1,003 valid questionnaires, this study applied structural equation modeling and Bootstrap analysis to test the proposed relationships. The results show that VR technological characteristics influence behavioral intention through both direct and indirect paths. Interactivity has the strongest effect and plays the most important role in enhancing perceived value and stimulating behavioral intention. Realism mainly helps build cognitive trust and reduce perceived risk, while immersion primarily strengthens emotional engagement and attentional focus. In addition, perceived value partially affects behavioral intention through cultural identity, reflecting a transition from cognitive evaluation to emotional identification. These findings suggest that VR content development in ice and snow sports tourism should prioritize interactivity, build on realism, and strengthen immersion. From a marketing perspective, VR should be strategically used to promote the transformation from initial attraction to value recognition, cultural identification, and behavioral intention.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• I. INTRODUCTION 1
• 1. The Necessity of the Study 1
• 2. The Purpose of the Study 6
• 3. The Research Questions 7
• 4. Research Hypothesis 8
• 5. Research Design 10
• 6. Limitation 11
• 7.Definition of Terminologies 13
• 7.1 Ice and snow sports tourism 13
• 7.2 Virtual Reality Experience 13
• 7.3 Immersion 14
• 7.4 Interactivity 15
• 7.5 Realism 16
• 7.6 Tourists’ Perceived Value 16
• 7.7 Tourists’ Cultural Identity 17
• 7.8 Behavioral Intention in Ice and snow sports tourism 17
• II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 19
• 1.Virtual Reality and Ice and snow sports tourism 19
• 1.1 Virtual Reality as a Tourism Experience Tool 19
• 1.2 Ice and Snow Sports Tourism in China 21
• 1.3 Integration of VR Technology into Ice and Snow Sports Tourism 23
• 2. Virtual Reality Experience 25
• 2.1 Definition of Virtual Reality Experience 25
• 2.2 Dimensions of Virtual Reality Experience 27
• 2.3 VR Experience as a Stimulus in Ice and Snow Sports Tourism 30
• 3. Tourists’ Perceived Value 32
• 3.1 Definition of Tourists’ Perceived Value 32
• 3.2 Dimensions of Perceived Value 34
• 3.3 Related Research on Perceived Value 35
• 4. Tourists’ Cultural Identity 39
• 4.1 Definition of Tourists’ Cultural Identity 39
• 4.2 Dimensions of Cultural identity 42
• 4.3 Related Research on Cultural identity 44
• 5. Behavioral Intention in Ice and Snow Sports Tourism 48
• 5.1 Definition of Behavioral Intention 48
• 5.2 Dimensions of Behavioral intention 49
• 5.3 Related Research on Behavioral intention 50
• 6.SOR Theory 53
• 6.1 Origin of the S-O-R Theory 53
• 6.2 Application of the S-O-R Theory in VR-Based Ice and Snow Sports Tourism 55
• METHODOLOGY 59
• 1.Research Model 59
• 2. Research Subjects 60
• 3.Research Procedure 61
• 3.1 Pre-Survey 61
• 3.2 Main Survey 62
• 3.3 Data Analysis 62
• 4. Survey Instrument 63
• 5. Data Analysis 68
• 5.1 Pilot Data Quality Analysis 69
• 5.2 Main Survey Data Analysis 78
• IV. RESEARCH RESULTS 88
• 1. Data Quality Analysis of the Main Survey 88
• 1.1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents 88
• 1.2 Descriptive Statistics and Normality of Measurement Variables 90
• 2. Results of Hypothesis Testing 96
• 2.1 Path Analysis 96
• 2.2 Mediation Effect Analysis 101
• V. DISCUSSION 105
• 1.The Influence of VR Experience Dimensions on Perceived Value 107
• 2.The Influence of VR Experience Dimensions on Behavioral Intention 111
• 3.Analysis of the Relationships among Perceived Value, Cultural Identity, and Behavioral Intention 114
• 4.Mediation Effect Analysis 117
• 5.Practical Implications 120
• VI. Conclusion and Recommendations 124
• 1.Conclusions 124
• 2.Suggestions 127
• REFERENCES 129
• Appendix Ⅰ 150
• Appendix II 155
• 국문초록 159
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 161