Virtual Reality’s Influence on Sicilian Tourists’ Engagement With Romanian Ecotourism

This study investigates the impact of Virtual Reality (VR) on the travel intentions of Sicilian tourists toward Romanianecotourism destinations,particularlyfocusing ontheroleofVR’sauthenticity.Employinga quantitativemethodologyandStructuralEquationModeling, the researchanalyzeshowtheTheoryof Innovation Diffusion applies to tourists' perceptions collected through an online survey. The study involves 97 Sicilian participants andmeasures five key constructs, including innovation diffusion attributes (simplicity, compatibility, and benefit), authentic experience, and behavioral intentions. Findings reveal that while innovation diffusion attributes do not directly influence behavioral intentions, the authentic VR experience fully mediates this relationship. In other words, the perception of authenticity in VR simulations plays a significant rolein translating technologicalattributes intoactual travel intentions. Thisresearch contributes to VR tourism literature by highlighting the importance of authenticity in VR adoption and its specific impact on a culturally aligned tourist market. Practical implications suggest that tourism marketers should focus on enhancing the immersive quality and authenticity of VR applications to effectively convert virtual engagements into actual visits. Strengthening the realism of VR experiences could bridge the gap between virtual exploration and physical travel, offering strategic insights for targeting markets like Sicilian tourists. This approach can significantly influence tourists’ travel behavior, providing valuable insights for promoting Romanian ecotourism destinations.