Metaverse marketing and consumer research: theoretical framework and future research agenda in tourism and hospitality industry

ABSTRACTABSTRACTWhile research on metaverse (MV) has expanded, the domain of real-time multisensory-social-interactions (RTMSIs) in metaverse-tourism has not been recognized so far in travel, tourism and hospitality marketing. This research note develops a theoretical-framework that recommends nine set of important research propositions in MV-tourism. An extensive literature review was conducted to examine the conceptual developments on virtual reality (VR) and metaverse in tourism, hospitality, marketing and psychology. The proposed framework suggests if RTMSIs in MV, once accessed via VR-headsets can produce more significance for consumers/tourists relating to interaction-based outcomes (e.g. performance/emotions/evaluation) than 2D-internet through intermediate-conditions (e.g. social presence, engagement, immersion and exhaustion). As such, this article recommends theoretical/management implications to offer an important future research agenda on metaverse and consumer research in tourism, hospitality, branding and marketing contexts.KEYWORDS: Metaverse tourism marketingreal-time multisensory-social-interactionsvirtual realityconsumer researchtourism and hospitalityfuture research agenda Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsRaouf Ahmad RatherRaouf Ahmad Rather is a Scientific Independent Researcher, Jammu & Kashmir, India. He is listed in Stanford's Top 2% of Scientists, and his research interests centre on customer/tourist engagement, experience, virtual reality and social media technology. His work has appeared in the Journal of Travel Research, Current Issues in Tourism, among others. He also serves as Editorial Board Member at Current Issues in Tourism, among others.