Exploring the implications of wearable virtual reality technology for museum visitors' experience: A cluster analysis

Despite the spreading of virtual reality (VR) in tourism, little is known about the characteristics of different segments of tourists experiencing cultural tourism attractions through VR applications. This paper proposes to profile museum visitors based on their perceptions and attitudes towards VR applications and investigates whether they are significantly different in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and emotional responses towards the VR-mediated experience. With the use of exploratory factor-cluster analysis of 287 visitors of a cultural attraction, three clusters were identified with significant differences in terms of attitudes and perceptions towards the VR-mediated experience and emotional feelings. Implications for research and practice are discussed.