Impact of ecological presence in virtual reality tourism on enhancing tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior

In an era where environmental conservation is increasingly critical, identifying pathways through which technological innovations like virtual reality tourism (VRT) can promote sustainable behaviors is vital. This study investigates the impact of ‘ecological presence’, a newly proposed sub-dimension of presence in VRT, on tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior (TERB). Through structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis of data from 290 participants, we unveil that ecological presence—defined as the authenticity and immersion of tourists in virtual ecological environments—significantly bolsters biospheric values, environmental self-identity, and personal norms. Additionally, our findings indicate that ecological presence in VRT indirectly promotes TERB, predominantly through the mediation of enhanced biospheric values and environmental self-identity. Notably, ecological presence, biospheric values, and environmental self-identity constitutes a sufficient condition for achieving a high level of TERB. This research highlights the potential of VRT as an innovative tool for tourism administrators to foster environmental stewardship, offering a novel approach to leveraging technology for conservation efforts.