This study investigates the persuasive power of virtual reality (VR) imagery for destination marketing by assessing the roles of spatial presence in influencing attitude and behavior toward tourism destinations. Based on interviews with 23 participants involving the use of Google Cardboard VR viewer, this study extracted users’ experience from the conceptual lenses of spatial presence and transportation theories. It was identified that users felt varying levels of spatial presence during the experience, while all recalled moments of arrival and departure (i.e., being transported) as well as moments that generate stronger sense of being there. Further, factors that support and distract users from being fully immersed in the virtual environment were identified, which include consistency, representation, social experience, and continuity. These resulted in different user perception on the persuasiveness of VR experience. Marketing and design implications are provided.