A significant emerging trend around the world is virtual tourism, which has been developing for some time. It has been chiefly used as a marketing strategy but has become very admirable amongst the stakeholders of the tourism department.
The growth of virtual tourism in recent years has been rapid, as the use of social media has risen to a great extent.
Virtual tourism is an immersive concept that lets one explore an existing location with the use of technology such as mobile phones, VR boxes, Virtual Game Space, and Virtual Simulation. It allows the viewer to experience the activities and site of a destination without physically visiting the place. If you cannot decide between places you want to travel to first, Virtual tourism is your answer to finding your favorite vacation destination!
The COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be a boost for virtual tourism, although it had been emerging for a while. Virtual tourism offers vast opportunities, and you can choose your area of interest, such as climbing the world’s highest peaks to exploring the deepest seas. Read on to learn more!
Virtual Tourism: Everything You Need To Know
Virtual tourism had existed even before the pandemic, but the pandemic definitely gave it a boost. Different gadgets are used to experience virtual tourism. A combination of interactive scenarios, pictures, videos, audio, and other formats are used to experience virtual tourism.
Virtual tourism has both its advantages and disadvantages for the tourists as well as the industry.
Pros Of Virtual Tourism
Virtual tourism has abundant benefits as the viewers can enjoy the activities and explore locations from the comfort of their homes. The best thing remains that the viewers can experience their dream destination without traveling to it! So they do not really have to worry about the flights, expenses, and weather changes.
Environment Friendly
Humans these days affect the environment no matter what they do, may it be littering or disruption to the wildlife and ecology. Virtual tourism protects the environment from such things as the person does not physically come to the place!
The Flexibility Of Hours And Freedom
The best part of a virtual trip is that you can travel in your pj’s! Want to experience snowfall? You don’t have to worry about wearing coats and jackets. All the virtual trips can be opted in whenever your schedule is free, at any time of the day.
Low Cost
All you need is access to a device and the internet, so the total cost for this trip is far less than what is required for a physical journey. Also, virtual tourism activities are mostly free of charge!
Cons Of Virtual Tourism
Not Widely Accessible
Although most people have access to the required devices and technologies to be virtual tourist, many still do not have exposure to its existence. Adding to that, many areas of the world do not have access to the internet to support virtual travel.
Limited Social Connection
Travelling does not only include sightseeing; it also involves social interactions and bondings with different people you meet. With virtual tourism, it is impossible to develop connections. It kills the possibility of interacting with people and experiencing the culture of that place as much as you could if you were physically present.
Destroys The Reality
Visiting a place for the first time, in reality, is a whole experience in itself. The bonding you can develop with a place always remains in your memory and lasts a lifetime. It can be very convenient and still be a real spoiler, especially when you are someone who loves surprises.
This experience brings forth the best destination experience using a gadget of technology.
Uses Of Virtual Tourism
The emerged VR encounters let the viewers interact with the surroundings of the places and different discoveries. A virtual tourist can enjoy it in the same way as a tourist. By just pressing a button, the viewer can enjoy the sound of waves at their favorite beach, the highest point of a mountain, the first snowfall, and a busy city!
You can benefit from virtual tourism in several different scenarios. Whether you are stuck at work and can’t get a holiday, are unable to travel due to any issue, or just want to enjoy the scenarios from the comfort of your lounge, virtual tourism is your answer.
You can have an immersive experience of a holiday anytime you want. Moreover, you can also take a virtual tour of a place before actually going there. This will help you decide which places you want to explore and not.
The Spike In Virtual Tourism Post-Pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic affected almost everything in the world, it has also majorly affected travel. It has limited people from going wherever they want, including the hotels, destinations, etc.
The hotels and travel companies are renovating the spark again through virtual tourism and using it as a marketing tactic. The interest in virtual tourism has expanded since the pandemic as it enables people who cannot afford to visit physically to enjoy each and every bit of the desired place.
FAQs
Why Was Virtual Tourism Created?
Virtual tourism was made to attract viewers to visit the place physically. It allows the viewers to turn on their creative side to imagine themselves at their dream travel destinations. The viewers have complete control over what they want to see and explore.
They have access to a 360 degrees view of a location, and you can enjoy all the visual aspects.
How Does Virtual Tourism Prove To Be Helpful Post-Pandemic?
As the covid-19 pandemic created a breakthrough in the travel industry, people could not visit the places physically, so gradually, they made themselves comfortable with virtual visiting.
Even after the pandemic has almost ended, people still show interest in using the virtual tourism method before actually visiting the place for broader knowledge and understanding of the destination.
How Could Virtual Tourism Help The Travel And Tourism Industry?
This medium allows the users to find themselves in the places they are viewing, boosting interest in the destination. It already makes people plan their holidays, which leads to more hotels and travel companies being booked before the holiday season.
Final Thoughts
With the technology growing and improvising each day globally, virtual tourism provides a jump start to the tourism industry and helps people build a more worthwhile economic system. It also serves as a beneficial source of knowledge for students to learn about different cultures, geography, and history.
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