Exploring the Demographic and Economic Dimensions of Virtual Reality Technologies in Tourism

The tourism industry is increasingly adopting digital innovations to enhance consumer engagement and improve communication. Virtual reality (VR) has attracted attention as a tool capable of delivering immersive experiences and supporting cost effective destination promotion. Despite this growing interest, empirical evidence on demographic differences in the use and perception of VR in tourism remains limited, particularly in large international and cross-continental samples. This study examines how gender, age, and continent of residence influence experience with VR technologies and attitudes towards their use in tourism. The analysis focus on user experience, satisfaction, and willingness to adopt VR-based tools instead of traditional methods. Potential economic and sustainability implications are also considered. The study is based on an international online survey of 2,003 respondents. Data were collected using Likert-scale items, with nonparametric statistical methods applied in the analysis. The results indicate significant differences related to continent of residence and age in prior VR experience and preferences for VR-based tourism tools, while gender differences are less pronounced. Overall, the findings suggest that VR may contribute to more effective tourism promotion. The study has several limitations, including convenience sampling, possible self-selection bias, and the use of single-item measures. The paper provides empirical insights into the role of VR in tourism promotion and highlights directions for future research, particularly the need to include behavioural and economic performance indicators such as conversion rates, efficiency measures, cost-benefit analysis, and sustainability outcomes.