Purpose

This study aims to use mixed methods to create a new conceptual framework to understand the unique characteristics of virtual tourism experiences (VTE), which has not been systemically examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Study 1 uses topic modeling with Latent Dirichlet Allocation to analyze 91,609 online reviews from the Airbnb Experience platform. Study 2 uses content analysis of open-ended qualitative responses from VTE customers. The two studies together are used to build a new conceptual model.

Findings

Building upon the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) model and the experience economy, results present a new conceptual model and identify VTE as unique in terms of Stimulus (education, entertainment, esthetics, escapism and connection), Organism (experiencing synchronicity, telepresence, participation and customization, emotion) and Response (evaluation and behavioral responses). Given the uniqueness of VTE, the new construct of the virtual servicescape is incorporated, recognizing the host, the focal customer and other customers, and the technology as the four main components.

Practical implications

The proposed framework can be used to guide the design, development, and evaluation of VTE, including identifying the key considerations, engagement within the ecosystem and providing guidance to hosts and operators.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that systematically explores VTE and proposes the theoretical framework to comprehensively understand this new form of experience in sharing economy by combining the unique aspects of the stimulus, organism, response and virtual servicescape.

中文翻译：

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足不出户：构建虚拟旅游体验概念模型

目的

本研究旨在使用混合方法创建一个新的概念框架，以了解虚拟旅游体验 (VTE) 的独特特征，这尚未得到系统检验。

设计/方法/途径

研究 1 使用带有 Latent Dirichlet Allocation 的主题建模来分析来自 Airbnb Experience 平台的 91,609 条在线评论。研究 2 使用来自 VTE 客户的开放式定性响应的内容分析。这两项研究一起被用来建立一个新的概念模型。

发现

基于刺激-有机体-反应 (SOR) 模型和体验经济，结果提出了一个新的概念模型，并确定 VTE 在刺激（教育、娱乐、美学、逃避现实和联系）、有机体（体验同步性、远程呈现）方面是独一无二的、参与和定制、情感）和响应（评估和行为反应）。鉴于 VTE 的独特性，虚拟服务场景的新构造被纳入，将主机、焦点客户和其他客户以及技术识别为四个主要组成部分。

实际影响

拟议的框架可用于指导 VTE 的设计、开发和评估，包括确定关键考虑因素、参与生态系统以及为主机和运营商提供指导。

原创性/价值

据作者所知，这是第一项系统探索 VTE 并提出理论框架的研究，通过结合刺激、有机体、响应和虚拟服务场景的独特方面来全面理解共享经济中这种新的体验形式。