Beyond trust: how usefulness and immersiveness drive space tourism intentions in high-risk contexts
Minh‐Hoang Nguyen, Thi Minh Phuong Duong, Thanh Tu Tran, Ni Putu Wulan Purnama Sari, Hendra Tedjasuksmana, Viet‐Phuong La, Quan‐Hoang Vuong
Abstract
The rapidly evolving space tourism industry faces significant challenges in building consumer trust and balancing emotional appeal with factual accuracy – both essential for reducing uncertainty and fostering long-term public engagement in this high-risk sector. This study examines the key factors shaping individuals’ intentions to participate in space tourism, with a focus on their perceived trustworthiness, usefulness, and immersiveness of information on social media. Applying Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT), we explore the interplay between trust evaluation and subjective cost-benefit judgment of individuals in the high-risk tourism context. The findings reveal that while trustworthiness positively influences participation intention, its role diminishes when usefulness and immersiveness are particularly strong. This suggests that space tourists, who are naturally inclined toward risk-taking, prioritise experiential rewards – such as novelty, prestige, and emotional engagement – over concerns about information reliability. These insights offer practical implications for marketing in high-risk industries, highlighting the importance of immersive storytelling, exclusivity, and transformative experiences over conventional trust-building measures. Future research should investigate how personal risk tolerance, prior experience, and cognitive biases shape thought processes, decision-making, and behaviours in extreme tourism contexts.