The effect of virtual experiential marketing determinants on purchase intention in the Algerian hospitality sector

Abstract

Virtual experiential marketing is a postmodern approach that is not widely researched and used in Algeria, particularly in the hospitality sector. And with the continuous development of technology, virtual reality is considered to be a very promising tool in terms of offering a holistic, pleasant and memorable experience to consumers. Therefore, it has become essential to examine the effect that the application of virtual experiential marketing, based on virtual reality, has on consumers' purchase intention. This study aims to examine the effect of four virtual experiential marketing determinants (Sense, Feel, Think, and Act) towards purchase intention. To test the relationships, a virtual tour of a hotel located in Algeria was created and sent with a survey to university teachers and students. The results analysed using Partial Least Square (PLS) demonstrate that three of virtual experiential marketing determinants (Sense, feel, and think) have a significant positive effect on purchase intention.