Investigating the impact of autonomy on presence: a comparative analysis on sense of presence and telepresence

Virtual tourism has great potential for the tourism industry, but physical limitations in sensory experience and the possibility of symbolic images may impact authenticity and the feeling of freedom for tourists. We conduct a study to investigate how vividness, interactivity and autonomy affect tourists’ behavioral intention through the sense of presence and telepresence. Findings indicate that vividness and interactivity have a positive impact on tourists’ behavioral intention by the mediation of sense of presence and telepresence. Moreover, the results further demonstrate that autonomy exerts a significant impact exclusively on the sense of presence, without affecting telepresence. This study suggests that virtual tour developers should prioritize creating high-quality intermediary experiences by enhancing sensory dimensions and human-machine interaction. Meanwhile, respecting tourists’ autonomy and utilizing emerging technologies to enhance the overall enjoyment of the experience is also imperative.