Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of virtual tours on the engagement and travel intentions of older adults, emphasizing the role of emotional and informative content. It aims to enhance travel confidence and reduce stress among older travelers, fostering inclusive tourism through advanced avatar technology.

Design/methodology/approach

Using two between-subjects experiments, this research compares the effects of emotion-driven and knowledge-centric virtual tours on older adults. It explores the mediating role of travel confidence and stress reduction, along with the moderating influence of positive psychological cues on engagement and travel intentions.

Findings

The results highlight the potential of technology in promoting inclusive tourism. Emotionally engaging virtual tours significantly increase travel intentions among older adults by boosting confidence and alleviating stress, with positive psychological cues enhancing these effects.

Practical implications

This study offers valuable insights for tourism industry stakeholders by suggesting the development of avatar-based virtual tours tailored to the emotional and cognitive needs of older travelers. This approach could create more accessible and satisfying tourism experiences for older travelers.

Originality/value

This study extends the socioemotional selectivity theory to the realm of metaverse travel, providing a novel perspective on the emotional and cognitive engagement of older adults in the metaverse. This underscores the importance of inclusive technology in addressing the needs of older travelers.

中文翻译：

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包容年龄的酒店和旅游：用阿凡达导航虚拟宇宙旅行

 目的

本研究旨在调查虚拟旅游对老年人的参与度和旅行意图的影响，强调情感和信息内容的作用。它旨在增强老年旅行者的旅行信心并减轻压力，通过先进的虚拟形象技术促进包容性旅游。

设计/方法论/途径

这项研究通过两个受试者间实验，比较了情感驱动和以知识为中心的虚拟旅游对老年人的影响。它探讨了旅行信心和减轻压力的中介作用，以及积极心理暗示对参与度和旅行意图的调节影响。

 发现

结果凸显了技术在促进包容性旅游方面的潜力。情感投入的虚拟旅游可以增强信心、缓解压力，从而显着提高老年人的旅行意愿，而积极的心理暗示则可以增强这些效果。

 实际意义

这项研究建议开发适合老年旅行者情感和认知需求的基于化身的虚拟旅游，为旅游业利益相关者提供了宝贵的见解。这种方法可以为老年旅行者创造更便捷、更令人满意的旅游体验。

 原创性/价值

这项研究将社会情感选择性理论扩展到虚拟宇宙旅行领域，为老年人在虚拟宇宙中的情感和认知参与提供了新的视角。这凸显了包容性技术在满足老年旅行者需求方面的重要性。