Virtual Reality in Destination Marketing: The Why, The Who and The When
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbgeogr.2023.2.06Keywords:
virtual reality, virtual tourism, destination marketing, destination image, user satisfaction.Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is one of the fastest growing areas in information and communication technologies. Starting with the 1990s, the technology has also been successfully employed in tourism. Among other purposes, VR is used in tourism to provide a more effective marketing of a destination than classical means such as (paper) brochures. While the literature on the use of VR in destination marketing has been steadily growing, it is still scarce and fragmented. The main objective of this study is to better understand how could VR be used to improve the marketing of tourism destinations. To gather data for this study an experiment was used: participants were invited to take an online virtual tour of a very popular landmark in Paris, and then fill out a questionnaire in order to share their experience. The data from the 89 questionnaires collected were then processed using SPSS. The results have shown that almost all of our respondents were satisfied with their VR experience. Moreover, the VR experiment has improved the users’ image of and satisfaction with the destination. This, in turn, has positively influenced their intention to visit or re-visit the destination and to recommend it to others. The study also found that some socio-demographic groups (female, older than 25 years) may be more suitable targets for destination marketing using VR than others. Finally, we learned that, although the use of VR is effective for destination marketing both before and after tourists visit the site, the technology may be more useful in improving the image of the destination when applied before the physical visit.References
Abrash, M. (2018), Welcome to the virtual age: AR, VR and the future of connection, https://www.oculus.com/enus/blog/welcome-to-the-virtual-age
Akhtar, N., Khan, N., Khan, M.M., Ashraf, S., Hashmi, M.S., Khan, M.M., & Hishan, S.S. (2021), Post-COVID 19 tourism: Will digital tourism replace mass tourism?, Sustainability, 13, 10, 5352.
Baños, R.M., Botella, C., Alcañiz, M., Llaño, V., Guerrero, B., & Rey, B. (2004), Immersion and emotion: Their impact on the sense of presence, CyberPsychology & Behavior, 7, 8, 734-741.
Beck, J., Rainoldi, M., & Egger, R. (2019), Virtual reality in tourism: A state-of-the-art review, Tourism Review, 74, 3, 586–612.
Berg, L. P., and Vance, J. M. (2017), Industry use of virtual reality in product design and manufacturing: a survey, Virtual Reality, 21, 1, 1-17.
Berger, H., Dittenbach, M., Merkl, D., Bogdanovych, A., Simoff, S., & Sierra, C. (2007), Opening new dimensions for e-tourism, Virtual Reality, 11, 2, 75–87.
Bogicevic, V., Seo, S., Kandampully, J. A., Liu, S. Q., & Rudd, N. A. (2019), Virtual reality presence as a preamble of tourism experience: The role of mental imagery, Tourism Management, 74, 55–64.
Buhalis, D. (2000), Marketing the competitive destination of the future, Tourism Management, 21, 1, 97–116.
Cabello, J., Collado, A., Cruz-Lara, S., Armisen, A., Franco, J., Janer, J., Oyarzun, D. & Geraerts, R. (2011), Standards in virtual worlds. Virtual travel use case metaverse1 project, Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 4, 3, 1–5.
Cheong, R. (1995), The virtual threat to travel and tourism, Tourism Management, 16, 6, 417–422.
Cho, Y.H.; Wang, Y.; Fesenmaier, D.R. (2002), Searching for experiences: The web-based virtual tour in tourism marketing, Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 12, 1–17.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007), Research methods in education, London: Routledge
Daasi, M. & Debbabi, S. (2021), Intention to reuse AR-based apps: The combined role of the sense of immersion, product presence and perceived realism, Information & Management, 58, 4, 103453.
Dewailly, J. M. (1999), Sustainable tourist space: From reality to virtual reality?, Tourism Geographies, 1, 1, 41–55.
Dueholm, J., & Smed, K. M. (2014), Heritage authenticities – a case study of authenticity perceptions at a Danish heritage site, Journal of Heritage Tourism, 9, 4, 285–298.
Escobar-Rodriguez, T. & Carvajal-Trujillo, E. (2014), Online purchasing tickets for low-cost carriers: An application of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, Tourism Management, 43, 70-88.
Fan, X., Jiang, X., Deng, N. (2022), Immersive technology: A meta-analysis of augmented/virtual reality applications and their impact on tourism experience, Tourism Management, 91, 104534.
Flavian, C., Ibanez-Sanchez, S., & Orus, C. (2021), Impacts of technological embodiment through virtual reality on potential guests’ emotions and engagement, Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 30, 1, 1–20.
Flavian, C., Ibanez-Sanchez, S., & Orus, C. (2019), The impact of virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies on the customer experience, Journal of Business Research, 100, 547–560.
Gibson, A. & O’Rawe, M. (2017), Virtual reality as a promotional tool: Insights from a consumer travel fair. In, Jung, T & tom Dieck, M.C. (eds.), Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality – Empowering Human, Place and Business (pp. 93-107). London: Springer.
Gonzalez, D.A.Z., Richards, D., & Bilgin, A.A. (2021), Making it real: A study of augmented virtuality on presence and enhanced benefits of study stress reduction sessions, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 147, 102579.
Govers, R., Go, F.M., & Kumar, K. (2007), Promoting Tourism Destination Image, Journal of Travel Research, 46, 1, 15-23.
Griffin, T. & Muldoon, M. (2022), Exploring virtual reality experiences of slum tourism, Tourism Geographies, 22, 6-7, 934-953.
Griffin, T., Giberson, J., Lee, S. H., Guttentag, D., & Kandaurova, M. (2017), Virtual reality and implications for destination marketing, Tourism Travel and Research Association: Advancing Tourism Research Globally, 29.
Guerra, J., Pinto, M., & Beato, C. (2015), Virtual reality shows. A new vision for tourism and heritage, European Scientific Journal, Special Edition, 49-54, Retrieved July 12, 2023, from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/236412918.pdf.
Guttentag, D. (2010), Virtual reality: Applications and implications for tourism, Tourism Management, 31, 5, 637–651.
Gutiérrez, M., Vexo, F., & Thalmann, D. (2008), Stepping into virtual reality, London: Springer.
Han, D.I., tom Dieck, M.C., & Jung, T. (2018), User experience model for augmented reality applications in urban heritage tourism, Journal of Heritage Tourism, 13, 1, 46-61.
He, Z., Wu, L., & Li, X.R. (2018), When art meets tech: The role of augmented reality in enhancing museum experiences and purchase intentions, Tourism Management, 68, 127-139.
Huang, S., & Hsu, C. H. (2009), Effects of travel motivation, past experience, perceived constraint, and attitude on revisit intention, Journal of Travel Research, 48, 1, 29-44.
Huang, Y.C., Backman, K.F., Backman, S.J., & Chang, L.L. (2016), Exploring the implications of virtual reality technology in tourism marketing: An integrated research framework, International Journal of Tourism Research, 18, 2, 116-128.
Hughes, H. L. (2008), Visitor and non-visitor destination images: The influence of political instability in South-Eastern Europe, Tourism: An International Interdisciplinary Journal, 56, 1, 59–74.
Hyun, M.Y. & O’Keefe, R.M. (2012), Virtual destination image: testing a telepresence model, Journal of Business Research, 65, 1, 29-35.
Israel, K., Zerres, C., & Tscheulin, D. K. (2019), Presenting hotels in virtual reality: Does it influence the booking intention?, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 10, 3, 473–493.
Jayawardena, C. (2019), What are the key innovative strategies needed for future tourism in the world?, Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 11, 2, 235-247.
Jung, R. & Khoo-Lattimore, C. (2019), New realities: A systematic literature review on virtual reality and augmented reality in tourism research, Current Issues in Tourism, 22, 17, 2056-2081.
Kim, M. J., & Hall, C. M. (2019), A hedonic motivation model in virtual reality tourism: Comparing visitors and non-visitors, International Journal of Information Management, 46, 236–249.
Kim, M.J.; Lee, C.-K.; Jung, T. (2020), Exploring Consumer Behavior in Virtual Reality Tourism Using an Extended Stimulus-Organism-Response Model, Journal of Travel Research, 59, 69–89.
Kim, S., Lehto, X. and Kandampully, J. (2019), The role of familiarity in consumer destination image formation, Tourism Review, 74, 4, 885-901.
Lee, K.M. (2004), Presence, explicated, Communication Theory, 14, 1, 27-50.
Lee, W., Gretzel, U., & Law, R. (2010), Quasi-trial experiences through sensory information in destination websites, Journal of Travel Research, 49, 3, 310-322.
Lin, L.-P.; Huang, S.-C.; Ho, Y.-C. (2020), Could virtual reality effectively market slow travel in a heritage destination?, Tourism Management, 78, 104027.
Loureiro, S. M. C., Guerreiro, J., & Ali, F. (2020), 20 years of research on virtual reality and augmented reality in tourism context: A text-mining approach, Tourism Management, 77, 104028.
Lu, J., Xiao, X., Xu, Z., Wang, C., Zhang, M., & Zhou, Y. (2022), The potential of virtual tourism in the recovery of tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, Current Issues in Turism, 25, 3, 441-457.
Lu, X. & Hsiao, K.-L. (2022), Effects of diffusion of innovations, spatial presence, and flow on virtual reality shopping, Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 941248.
Marasco, A.; Balbi, B. (2019), Designing accessible experiences for heritage visitors through virtual reality, E-Review of Tourism Research, 17, 426–443.
Marasco, A., Buonincontri, P., van Niekerk, M., Orlowski, M., & Okumus, F. (2018), Exploring the role of next-generation virtual technologies in destination marketing, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 9, 138–148.
Martins, J., Goncalves, R., Branco, F., Barbosa, L., Melo, M., & Bessa, M. (2017), A multi-sensory virtual experience model for thematic tourism: A Port wine application proposal, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 6, 2, 103-109.
Mascho, E., & Singh, N. (2013), Virtual tourism: Use of ‘second life’ for destination marketing, Anatolia, 25, 1, 140–143.
Mohanty, P., Hassan, A., & Ekis, E. (2020), Augmented reality for relaunching tourism post-Covid-19: Socially distant, virtually connected, Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 12, 6, 753-760.
Moorhouse, N., tom Dieck, M.C., & Jung, T. (2018), Technological innovations transforming the consumer retail experience: A review of the literature. In, Jung, T. & tom Dieck, M. (eds.). Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Progress in IS (pp. 133-143). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International.
Moro, S., Rita, P., Ramos, P., & Esmerado, J. (2019), Analyzing recent augmented and virtual reality developments in tourism, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 10, 571-586.
Mura, P., Tavakoli, R., & Sharif, S.P. (2017), “Authentic but not too much”: Exploring perceptions of authenticity of virtual tourism, Information Technology & Tourism, 17, 2, 145-159.
Navarrette, T. (2019), Digital heritage tourism: Innovations in museums, World Leisure Journal, 61, 3, 200-214.
Nguyen, T.B.T., Le, T.B.N., & Chau, N.T. (2023), How VR technological features prompt tourists’ visiting intention: An integrated approach, Sustainability, 15, 6, 4765.
Pantano, E., and Servidio, R. (2011), An exploratory study of the role of pervasive environments for promotion of tourism destinations, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 2, 1, 50-65.
Roughead M. (2017), Scotland transposed to VR in effort to lure tech-savvy visitor, The Drum, July 3. Retrieved July 17, 2023, from http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/03/07/scotland-transposed-vr-effortlure-tech-savvy-visitors
Sanchez-Vives, M., & Slater, M. (2005), From presence to consciousness through virtual reality, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 6, 4, 332–339.
Slater, M., & Usoh, M. (1994), Body centred interaction in immersive virtual environments, Artificial Life and Virtual Reality, 1, 125–148.
Subawa, N.S., Widhiasthini, N.W., Astawa, I.P., Dwiatmadja, C., & Permatasari, N.P.I. (2021), The practices of virtual reality marketing in the tourism sector, a case study of Bali, Indonesia, Current Issues in Tourism, 24, 23, 3284-3295.
Sussmann, S., & Vanhegan, H. (2000), Virtual reality and the tourism product. Substitution or complement?, European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) 2000 Proceedings 117, 1077-1083. http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2000/117.
Talafubieke, M., Mai, S., & Xialifuan, N. (2021), Evaluation of the virtual economic effect of tourism product emotional marketing based on virtual reality, Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 759268.
Thomas, W.A. & Carey, S. (2005), Actual/virtual visits: What are the links?, International Conferences on Museums and the Web, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Tussyadiah, I.P., Wang, D., Jung, T.H., & tom Dieck, M.C. (2018), Virtual reality, presence, and attitude change: Empirical evidence from tourism, Tourism Management, 66, 140-154.
Verma, S., Warrier, L., Bolia, B., & Mehta, S. (2022), Past, present, and future of virtual tourism – a literature review, International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 2, 2, 100085.
Vishwakarma, P., Mukherjee, S., & Datta, B. (2020), Travelers’ intention to adopt virtual reality: A consumer value perspective, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 17, 100456.
Wan, C., Tsaur, S., Chiu, Y., & Chiou, W. (2007), Is the advertising effect of virtual experience better or contingent on different travel destinations?, Information Technology and Tourism, 9, 1, 45–54.
Wedel, M., Bigné, E., & Zhang, J. (2020), Virtual and augmented reality: Advancing research in consumer marketing, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 37, 3, 443-465.
Wei, W. (2019), Research progress on Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in tourism and hospitality, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 10, 4, 539-570.
Williams, P., & Hobson, J. S. (1995), Virtual reality and tourism: Fact or fantasy?, Tourism Management, 16, 6, 423–427.
Wiltshier, P., & Clarke, A. (2017), Virtual cultural tourism: Six pillars of VCT using co-creation, value exchange and exchange value, Tourism & Hospitality Research, 17, 4, 372-383.
Yung, R. & Khoo-Lattimore, C. (2019), New realities: A systematic literature review on virtual reality and augmented reality in tourism research, Current Issues in Tourism, 22, 17, 2056-2081.
Zarzuela, M. M., Pernas, F. J. D., Calzón, S. M., Ortega, D. G., & Rodríguez, M. A. (2013), Educational tourism through a virtual reality platform, Procedia Computer Science, 25, 382– 388.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Geographia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
©Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai Geographia. Published by Babeș-Bolyai University.