Applying Fuzzy AHP to Evaluate the Impact of Virtual Reality Technology on Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions

Abstract

This study aimed to examine and quantify the importance of virtual reality (VR) technology factors on tourists’ behavioral intentions using fuzzy hierarchy analysis (FAHP). Based on the integration of foundational theories, including Presence Theory (Steuer, 1992), Flow Theory (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990), and Customer Experience Theory (Schmitt, 1999), it aimed to determine the influence of VR on tourists’ behavioral intentions through five variables: Presence, Authenticity, Immersion, Focus, and Interaction. The questionnaire was constructed using the FAHP methodology, featuring comparative linguistic variables, and distributed to 15 experts, including tourism professionals, university lecturers, scientists with experience in researching tourist behavior, and representatives of businesses and tourist destinations in Vietnam. The survey data were processed using the FAHP method to determine the weights. Research results indicate that the factor “presence” has the highest weight (BNP = 0.39), playing a leading role in deciding tourists' behavioral intentions. The remaining factors are “authenticity”, “vividness”, “interaction”, and finally “focus”, in order of decreasing weights. Based on these results, the study offers several significant implications for destination managers and businesses developing smart tourism.