Abstract
The COVID-19 crisis seems to have accelerated the use of virtual tourism. A quantitative methodology is applied to examine whether virtual tourism was perceived as a substitute for physical tourism during the lockdown in Kosovo. Based on the results of a survey of residents of Kosovo, a structural equation model is used to identify what promoted virtual tourism during the lockdown in Kosovo. First, authenticity, enjoyment, and the experience of a tourist flow impacts the intensity of use of virtual tourism. Second, the experience of a tourist flow increases with the level of enjoyment of the virtual tourism experience. Third, the intensity of virtual tourism increases if it is considered a genuine substitute for physical tourism. Fourth, authenticity is crucial for virtual tourism to be perceived as a real substitute for physical tourism. Fifth, the level of digital skills has no effect on the intensity of use of virtual tourism.
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Notes
Based on the sample of the Agency of Statistics of Kosovo.
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Zeqiri, A. Virtual tourism as a substitute for physical tourism during COVID-19 pandemic. Environ Econ Policy Stud 26, 125–144 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10018-023-00382-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10018-023-00382-0