Financial Management and Virtual Reality in Tourism: Enhancing Visitor Experience under the Belt and Road Initiative

This article examines the intersection of financial management in tourist attractions and the impact of Virtual Reality Technology (VRT) on tourism experiences within the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global development strategy fostering cross-border infrastructure and economic collaboration. While the BRI accelerates tourism growth, many attractions face challenges such as under-internationalized financial systems and inadequate risk-response mechanisms. Concurrently, VRT emerges as a transformative tool, particularly in enhancing eco-tourism experiences and influencing the behavioral intentions of young tourists (e.g., college students). Adopting a mixed-methods approach, this research combines Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to quantify VRT’s effects on user engagement with Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory to map psychological and behavioral outcomes. For financial management analysis, Policy Analysis and Delphi (PAD) methods are employed to evaluate institutional gaps and stakeholder perspectives. Findings reveal that VRT significantly improves experiential quality and visit intentions, while BRI-aligned financial reforms—such as standardized cross-border payment systems and dynamic risk-assessment models—could address current managerial shortcomings. The article contributes theoretically by bridging tourism finance, digital innovation, and BRI policy frameworks, while offering practical insights for attractions to adopt VRT and strengthen financial resilience. These outcomes advance sustainable tourism development in the BRI era, with implications for policymakers, technology developers, and destination managers.