Cultivating immersive experience : integrating Visual Reality (VR) application in enriching visitors’ engagement in Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam

This study examines the incorporation of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) to augment visitor interaction at Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam (TBNASA), Malaysia. This research examines the potential of virtual reality to offer interactive, instructive, and emotionally engaging experiences in a botanical garden, acknowledging the shortcomings of conventional interpretative methods in appealing to digital-native audiences. A quasi-experimental approach was utilized, comprising two groups: one engaging with the garden via a 360-degree VR film, and the other through traditional in-person visits. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires and evaluated utilizing an independent samples t-test. Results demonstrate that VR markedly improved participants' emotional and immersive engagement in one assessed area, but other dimensions exhibited no statistically significant variation. The findings endorse the implementation of virtual reality as a strategic instrument to enhance environmental education and tourist happiness in nature-based tourism contexts.