Tourists’ Responses to Immersive Technology in Community-Based Tourism: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Model

Abstract

Community-based tourism (CBT) has been recognized as an important approach for promoting sustainable tourism, local participation, and community development. However, the role of immersive technology (IMT) in enhancing CBT experiences remains underexplored, particularly how tourists evaluate technology-driven recommendations and respond behaviorally. This study examines the factors influencing tourists’ attitudes and responses to the use of IMT in CBT through the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2026 with 400 tourists who had experience using IMT within the previous three months. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. The results show that recommendation reliability and recommendation accuracy significantly and positively influence tourists’ attitudes toward using IMT, with recommendation accuracy having the strongest effect. In contrast, experiential graphic design does not significantly affect attitude. Furthermore, attitude toward using IMT significantly influences tourist satisfaction and intention to use IMT, but it does not significantly affect intention toward the destination. These findings confirm attitude as an internal psychological mechanism linking technology-related stimuli with tourists’ behavioral responses. The study contributes to the literature by extending the SOR framework to the IMT-based CBT context. It suggests that IMT development for CBT should prioritize accurate, reliable, and useful information rather than focusing only on visual design or technological novelty.