THE MODERATING EFFECT OF THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY ON CULTURAL BRAND HERITAGE TOURISM

One of the main concerns of many countries is the mainte-nance of their cultural expressions over time. Cultural expressions allow a deeper definition of the factors that make up the identity of a nation. The purpose of this study was to analyse the moderating effect of the use of virtual reality technologies in the relationship between the different categories of cultural branding and brand heritage in the cultural tourism sector of a country. The sample considered the perceptions of 460 individuals who frequently attend cultural events and who have used event advertising with virtual reality. By utilising the structural equations multigroup technique, it is possible to find direct and indirect links between the variables that determine a nation’s brand heritage by using two groups: those using traditional methods, and those using virtual reality. The results indicate that there is a direct and positive moderation effect in the relationships between the different cultural branding categories and brand heritage. On the other hand, while the social and personal brand identity positively affects the brand heritage, brand equity and brand awe are not significant in traditional channels, unlike in virtual reality.