Unlocking the Metaverse Maneuvers in the Context of the Sustainable Ecological Tourism Landscape in Innovational

Objectives: This study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behavior and market mechanisms within the tourism industry, with a specific focus on ecological tourism practices in the Metaverse. Research Framework: The study introduces the Benefit-Risk Analysis (BRA) framework, which examines telepresence and media richness as benefits, and barriers such as deficient self-regulation (DESR) of virtual reality and fear of missing out (FoBo). The concepts of "readiness to change" and eco-centric values are incorporated to understand public perceptions, with satisfaction acting as a moderating variable. Methodology: The methodology involves conducting a survey with 1500 respondents in China using WeChat, where incentives were provided to ensure response validity, leading to a final sample size of 958 respondents. Data analysis was performed using ADANCO and SPSS, employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate the relationships between variables. Results and Findings: The findings indicate that consumer behavior in metaverse tourism is influenced by eco-centric values, readiness to change, and perceptions of both benefits and risks. Satisfaction moderates these relationships, highlighting the importance of balancing educational and enjoyable experiences while mitigating barriers such as anxiety and cost management. Novelty: This study presents a novel approach by integrating the concepts of technology readiness, benefit-risk analysis, and continuous intentions in the context of metaverse tourism. It provides practical strategies for stakeholders and suggests future research directions, particularly regarding the balance between sustainability and technology adoption in virtual environments.