Traveling virtually amid the pandemic: antecedents and moderating effects of past visitation experience

ABSTRACT This study employed the Technology Acceptance Model and the Technology Readiness Index to investigate consumers’ attitudes toward virtual tourism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine hypotheses were developed to examine the antecedents of virtual tourism and the moderating effects of previous destination visitation experiences. Our study identified perceived usefulness and innovativeness as the most potent predictors of attitudes towards virtual tourism. Furthermore, optimism, insecurity, and perceived ease-of-use were found to have varying effects on the attitudes towards virtual tourism among individuals with and without prior visitation experience. These findings present significant theoretical and practical implications.