The impact of online atmosphere on virtual visit experience, healing effects and mental well-being: a mixed methods approach

Purpose Virtual exploration has emerged as a promising option to enhance individuals' mental well-being amid growing mental health challenges. This article tests a conceptual model that examines the effects of virtual exploration's online atmosphere (OA) on users' mental well-being. It also investigates changes in users' perceptions and behavioral intentions associated with well-being improvement. Design/methodology/approach This article adopts a mixed-methods design. First, a quantitative survey (n = 523) tests the proposed model, linking OA cues (interface aesthetics, background music congruency, scene vividness, interactivity and convenience) with mental well-being via virtual visit experience and healing effects (stress reduction and restoration). Second, a multi-group analysis compares the effects of natural and urban destinations. Finally, the qualitative phase analyzes open-ended responses to explore the broader implications of improved mental well-being resulting from virtual exploration. Findings The findings show that these OA cues positively influence the virtual visit experience, which in turn enhances well-being through stress reduction and restoration, with natural (vs. urban) destinations exerting a stronger effect on these relationships. The qualitative results further reveal that participants reported increased psychological resilience, greater interest in and attachment toward explored destinations and higher readiness for digital engagement. Originality/value This article pioneers the understanding of how the OA within virtual exploration (specifically destination live streaming) fosters mental well-being through stress reduction and restoration. It provides empirical evidence for the OA's positive impact on well-being via these mechanisms and reveals differences across destination types. The findings highlight the OA's crucial role in designing virtual experiences that effectively support mental health.