Explaining Sustainable Cultural Tourism Intention Through Virtual Reality: An Integrated S–O–R, Technology Acceptance, and Flow Perspective

Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly used to enhance cultural heritage experiences, yet limited research explains how technological characteristics translate into sustainable cultural tourism intention (SCTI) through cognitive, experiential, and affective processes. This study develops and empirically tests an integrated framework combining the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Flow Experience Theory. Data were collected from 360 Thai and international tourists at UNESCO World Heritage destinations in Thailand and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results supported all 14 direct hypotheses. Information Presentation Quality (IPQ) had the strongest effect on Perceived Usefulness (PU), whereas Innovation Factors (IF) had the strongest effect on Flow Experience (FE). PU and FE contributed to Emotional Cultural Attachment (ECA) and Sustainable Cultural Tourism Intention, with ECA also exerting a significant effect on SCTI. Mediation analysis further showed that Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) transmitted the effects of technological stimuli to subsequent cognitive and experiential responses, while FE and ECA served as complementary mechanisms linking VR experiences to SCTI. The significant FE-specific indirect effects further confirmed the experiential pathway, while IPQ showed a stronger total indirect effect on SCTI than IF. These findings extend VR tourism research by demonstrating an interconnected cognitive–experiential–affective mechanism through which technological characteristics contribute to sustainable cultural tourism intention. The study also provides practical guidance for heritage authorities, destination managers, and VR developers seeking to design informative, immersive, and culturally meaningful VR experiences that support responsible tourism and heritage conservation.