Enhancing student engagement and satisfaction remains a critical challenge in higher education, especially in tourism programs where practical skills significantly impact learning outcomes. This study investigates the potential of virtual reality (VR) as an immersive experiential teaching solution to boost these outcomes among graduate students. Conducted at City University of Macau with 376 selected participants, the research employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the relationships among perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), VR acceptance, engagement, and satisfaction. Results confirm that PU and PEOU strongly predict VR acceptance, which mediates improvements in engagement and satisfaction, providing actionable insights for integrating VR into tourism education curricula and addressing technological and readiness challenges.