Metaverse reshaping the tourism industry: Evidences from VR studies
(A2024-118201)

AUTHORS

Svetlana Bialkova, Liverpool Business School

ABSTRACT

Metaverse implementation in tourism sector seems to be scarce, despite the recognised benefits of high-tech environments like Augmented (AR), Virtual (VR), Extended reality (XR). The shortage of metaverse applications in actual tourism practices reflects the managers scepticism, technical development and consumer experience itself. The current paper addresses these issues in an attempt to provide the much-needed understanding on how tourism and hospitality industry may be reshaped by incorporating metaverse applications. In particular, we explore various factors loading on experience evaluation in different contexts, respectively, indoor (Virtual Museum visit, study 1) and outdoor (VR city tour, study 2). A model summarises the outcomes of the empirical research, and a further discussion reflects the perspectives of how AR/VR/XR could navigate tourism and hospitality industry towards creating memorable experience, that may enhance the consumer journey, to boost revisits and revenues.