When virtual reality experiences make you want to travel…
According to the World Tourism Organization, 95% of the world’s tourists are concentrated in just 5% of the world’s land area. This is not without its risks: overcrowding, strain on infrastructure, and difficult coexistence with local residents…
Yasmine Hashish, Cairo University and Marie-Christine Lichtlé, University of Montpellier
Conversely, many regions are still unable to reap the benefits of tourism. However, these areas appear to be benefiting from the health crisis. Since the emergence of the novel coronavirus, travelers have favored domestic tourism and less-visited regions. Authentic Research in the great outdoors and outdoor activities were particularly popular in the summer of 2020.
In France, for example, the department of Aveyron saw a 14% increase in tourist visits in July compared to 2019; in Creuse, visits by French families surged by 23%.
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, these trends are expected to continue in the short term. This renewed interest from tourists is opening up opportunities for destinations that have been relatively overlooked until now. In this regard, our research suggests that new technologies can help these destinations boost their appeal.
Monuments, landscapes, but few visitors…
Our study focused on the Egyptian city of El Minya, which ranks third—after Luxor and Giza—in the list of places rich in monuments. It is home to Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Islamic, and Coptic buildings, as well as museums and castles. Visitors also enjoy the ever-changing scenery of urban sites, farmland, and desert, which can be explored by boat on the Nile.
Despite these advantages, there is virtually no promotion of El Minya Governorate in Egypt or abroad, and the area remains largely unvisited.
Our quantitative survey was conducted in 2019 among 341 Egyptian nationals to identify the factors that influence individuals’ decisions to visit a destination based on a virtual experience of the place.
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Each respondent visited one of the six versions of the websites created for El Minya. These differed only in their level of interactivity and dynamism. Photos, videos, or 3D virtual tours of tourist attractions were sometimes included.
Experience the atmosphere
It appears that tourists seem to enjoy having a virtual experience before choosing a destination.
Of course, the experience can vary from person to person: personal characteristics (such as a preference for visual information, engagement with the journey, familiarity with technology, etc.) influence the intensity of this experience. However, a trend emerges.
By creating a "telepresence" experience, interactive videos and 3D virtual tours trigger positive emotions, positively influence the perceived value of the destination, and increase the intention to visit. Conversely, websites that feature only 2D photos generated little desire to visit the destination.
To explore this further, semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify the reasons behind the preference for virtual tours. Respondents highlighted various benefits:
"With 3D, you can explore the site without leaving your home."
“3D shows us exactly what will happen on site. Thanks to 3D, things feel more tangible, as if they were real.”
“3D tours are very useful because they let you imagine yourself doing the activities available there. If I enjoy this online experience, I’ll definitely visit that destination.”
Bringing to life the experience of a walk in the great outdoors, a trip out to sea, or a visit to the countryside—or offering a glimpse into the production of local products through 360° videos or 3D tours—makes it easier for people to make decisions.
New Perspectives
The use of such tools is growing, and according to a Bloomberg report published on February 13, 2020, the global market for virtual reality and augmented reality products is projected to exceed $571.42 billion by 2025.
Although it is difficult to predict how tourists will behave after the health crisis, it seems essential for the industry to capitalize on recent changes in behavior and move toward greater use of digital technology.
Sales of virtual reality devices are currently on the rise. This trend reflects the growing interest among global travelers in immersive experiences and opens up new opportunities for less-visited tourist destinations.
Many countries have now implemented policies and plans aimed at developing the Sustainable tourism by 2030. The “under-tourism” has even become a tactic that is attracting growing interest from marketers. The aim is to encourage travelers who are tired of crowded destinations to choose less-visited tourist destinations as an alternative. Our research shows that virtual reality appears to be an effective way to achieve this goal.
Yasmine Hashish, PhD, Lecturer at the Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University, Cairo University and Marie-Christine Lichtlé, University Professor, University of Montpellier
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Readthe original article.