Quality of technology in virtual reality tourism and the role of artificial intelligence - from perception to intention

The development strategy of the tourism industry is based on the need to attract international tourist flows. Border regions often act as a springboard for promoting international tourism within a country. The more tourist opportunities a region has, the more stable and diversified external tourist flows are. The Kaliningrad region, as a seaside region, has historically specialized in coastal and health tourism. It has a rich cultural, historical and natural tourist potential, which is used only by the local population and is practically not known to international tourists. Modern technologies make it possible to expand tourism opportunities of the region, to offer new tourism products and services, and involve new groups of the local population in tourist activities. People with disabilities is one of the groups benefiting from technological advancement in the tourism industry. New technologies in tourism (first of all, virtual excursion tours) can ensure the implementation of environmental approaches, in which unique natural, cultural and historical objects of the region can be explored without any increase in the anthropogenic load on them. New technologies in tourism create conditions for the transformation of tourist services and products. The authors describe stages of the development of technology-based tourist products—excursion routes designed for different target groups of tourists. The article shows that only larger actors can afford designing virtual tours using augmented reality (AR) since it requires significant financial resources. The Kaliningrad region, benefiting from the funds of the Poland-Russia 2014–2020 Cross-Border Cooperation Programme, is now creating a technology-based tourism product. This new type of product will allow the region to preserve natural sites, attract investments and restore its rich historical and cultural heritage. The project will facilitate the further improvement of the social and economic situation in the region and will contribute to the stability of border areas.

This article reveals the theoretical and practical issues of using virtual reality technologies in the field of providing tourist services. The position is argued that innovative technologies, which are currently involved in all aspects of our lives, whether it is a commercial sphere or a service sphere, have not bypassed the tourism industry. Such technological development has become very effective in the national economy of any country in the world, as new technologies can overcome obstacles related to space and time barriers, pandemic outbreaks, etc. In the scientific literature, virtual tourism has become a rather promising phenomenon for the research of lawyers, marketers, sociologists and psychologists. The peculiarities of the application of virtual reality technologies in the tourism field have been the subject of research by many foreign scientists for several years. The largest number of publications on this issue is in Asian countries, in particular China and Indonesia, where the tourism sector has been most affected due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions. Their experimental studies reveal the main positive and negative aspects of the use of virtual reality technologies in the tourism sector. Within the framework of our research, attention is paid to the specifics of the application of certain types of virtual and augmented reality technologies in the field of providing tourist services. In particular, we characterized tourism using the system of immersive virtual reality technologies, photorealistic 360-degree virtual tours, travel blogs, live broadcasts. Although this is not an exclusive list, virtual tourism can be supplemented with technologies of augmented reality, panoramic online tour, 3D photos, videos, etc. It was found that the application of virtual reality technologies in tourism is indispensable for the creation of a new travel industry. It can enable users to visualize a virtual world by responding to visual, moving and audio cues, creating a sense of presence without having to leave their home or comfort zone.

Rapid development of Internet technology has led to great changes in all fields of life. Tourism industry has also gone to the Internet with the change of the times. Regarding the application of Internet technology in tourism, in fact, virtual tourism products are directly used to promote economic development. Online tourism stores have all kinds of tourism information in the database, realize network roaming, provide convenient information services for both the supply and demand of tourism, and can realize the rapid and stable sustainable development of tourism. This article mainly studies the evaluation of the virtual economic effect of emotional marketing of tourism products based on virtual reality (VR), the meaning algorithm of VR, etc., analyzes the virtual economy of tourism products based on VR, and helps tourism enterprises to grasp the needs of tourism consumers more accurately, so as to design products and services that are more in line with the demands of tourism consumers, the process of ultimately improving the user value. This study mainly uses the VR method, VR platform eye map processing, VR eye map regional detection and feature extraction method, and VR tourism product emotional marketing related experiments, to study the evaluation of the virtual economic effect of tourism product emotional marketing based on VR. The economic performance information of the virtual tourism industry is equivalent to the amount of these indicators, and the impact of the comprehensive evaluation on the economic performance of virtual tourism is quite equal. The results show that from 2017 to 2020, the virtual economic revenue of VR tourism product emotional marketing increased from 50 million to 1 billion. However, people give more importance to the tourism experience brought by virtual tourism products, and the reasonable consumption structure of virtual tourism hinders the improvement of tourism economic benefits. To promote the rationalization of the consumption structure of virtual tourism, the basic industry of tourism consumption is developed and the necessary design and processing is increased, in order to increase the supply of tourism products and to enrich tourism consumption.

This study examines how virtual reality (VR) tourism experiences influence user satisfaction and travel intentions across different cultural orientations. Utilizing the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model, Uses and Gratifications Theory, and Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory, this analyzed data from 766 respondents equally divided between individualist and collectivist cultural orientations. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS and multigroup analysis were employed to test hypotheses. Findings reveal significant differences between cultural groups in the impact of system quality, information quality, service quality, and visual quality on satisfaction and subsequent travel intentions. Notably, system and information quality had a more substantial effect on satisfaction and travel intentions for individualists, while service quality had a greater impact on collectivists. The mediation analysis demonstrated that satisfaction plays a critical role in translating VR quality dimensions into travel intentions, with cultural differences moderating these relationships. These results underscore the necessity for culturally tailored VR tourism experiences to enhance user satisfaction and travel intentions. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of cross-cultural consumer behavior in VR contexts and offers practical insights for tourism marketers and VR content creators aiming to design culturally responsive and effective VR tourism experiences.

<p class="Text">Tourism destinations, their industries and tourists are relying more and more on emerging forms of information and communication technology (ICT), cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). This kind of tourism is called smart tourism. When virtual reality and tourism combine, virtual tourism appears. It presents viewers with an immersive experience of a location, destination or activity. Virtual tourism not only provides awesome travel with huge convenience, but also has big significance on protecting cultural relics.</p><p class="Text">In this issue, we will read some articles about virtual tourism. Fengxia Wang and her team reviewed research overview on the application of virtual reality technology in tourism in foreign countries. We honorably request their authorization to translate it into English and republish. Also, topics of digital protection of cultural relics and comparison of real and virtual tourism economy are contained here.</p><p class="Text"> </p><p class="Text" align="right">Editorial board member</p><p align="right">Dr. Man-U Io</p>

The increasing use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in tourism marketing has transformed how destinations attract visitors through immersive experiences that impact tourists' intention to visit. However, gaps remain in understanding the specific factors influencing the adoption of these technologies in tourism. This study addresses these gaps by conducting a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to identify key factors and implications of AR and VR in tourism marketing, with a focus on their impact on tourist decision-making. A systematic search of 1,500 articles from databases such as Scopus, IEEE Xplore, SpringerLink, and Web of Science was conducted, with 50 articles selected based on journal quality and empirical relevance. The review reveals that Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) variables, including perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and perceived control, are key determinants of tourists' intention to use AR and VR technologies. Extended TAM factors such as perceived immersion and interactivity also play a crucial role, particularly in fully immersive VR environments. The study differentiates between three VR simulation types (fully immersive, semi-immersive, and non-immersive) and identifies key AR factors like digital overlays, gamification, and personalization. The proposed conceptual model links these factors to tourist engagement and intention to visit. While the model provides a useful framework, further empirical validation is required.

Tourism that uses smart technology and practices to boost resource management and sustainability while growing their businesses' overall competitiveness is known as smart tourism. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have had a profound impact on the tourism industry, and they continue to be the key drivers of tourism innovation. ICTs have fundamentally changed the way tourism products are developed, presented, and offered, according to the literature. Any empirical studies or experiments must be focused on accepted or formed hypotheses. In this regard, grounded theory measures were used for interpretation, while a systematic review was performed to assess the research scope from current studies and works. The main goal of the study is to investigate and propose long-lasting and stable smart technologies for implementing smart tourism. Grounded theory is a concept that uses methodical rules to gather and dissect data in order to construct an unbiased theory. Fewer studies on smart technology in tourism have been conducted, with a majority of them concentrating on IoT, virtual and augmented reality, big data, cloud computing, and mobile applications. In either case, there is space for further investigation into this important field of study. As a result, this paper is a vital first step toward a clearer understanding of how smart technology can be applied to the tourism industry. The number of available research work on smart technologies in tourism were fewer from the selected journals and conference proceedings, which led to the accessibility of lesser data for analysis.

Virtual reality (VR) tourism provides individuals with a brief, but realistic, preview of travel destinations. Despite the increasing popularity of VR tourism in destination advertising, outcomes and underlying mechanisms of virtual tours remain underexplored. Guided by the theoretical framework of spatial presence, this experiment (N = 118) investigated how VR tourism affected behavioral intention to travel to a physical destination depicted in the virtual world and people’s willingness to pay for travel in the context of destination advertising. Results revealed that VR tourism led to greater spatial presence, enjoyment, destination image, intentions to travel, and willingness to pay compared to reading an e-brochure. Spatial presence, enjoyment, and destination image mediated the impact of virtual tours on intentions to travel and willingness to pay, shedding light on the psychological mechanisms of virtual tours. Theoretical and managerial implications of VR tourism are discussed.

Technological progress in augmented reality (AR) creates new application opportunities for different branches of tourism. The application of modern technology is made possible by the widespread use of mobile devices and dedicated tourist applications. Preliminary market research demonstrates that there are no global solutions intended for tourists on sea voyages that make use of augmented reality. This paper analyzes the use of AR technology in water tourism. The proposed Maritime Educational Trip (MET) system makes it possible to combine geolocation information with the accumulated knowledge of a specific location and to present it with AR. An example prototypical Android application is developed, combining e-navigation with a knowledge base. The developed solutions show how a combination of the real world with a computer-generated world helps to expand the tourism space.

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently transforming contemporary business at a very fast pace, and one of the most drastically affected domains is digital marketing. This research paper, "The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Transforming Digital Marketing Strategies," considers the manner in which AI technologies like machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, predictive analytics, and chatbots are transforming marketing practices. Based on a mixed-method methodology, the research integrates primary data through survey responses of 140 participants with secondary sources such as academic journals, industry reports, and case studies. The results show that AI technologies significantly augment customer personalization, customer engagement, and marketing effectiveness. Predictive analytics allows for more precise forecasts of consumer behavior, and AI-driven chatbots enhance responsiveness and cost savings in customer services. But the study also outlines issues of data privacy, ethics, transparency in algorithms, and consumer trust. These factors point to the importance of accountable AI deployment. The research concludes that AI is not only an enabling tool but also a primary strategic tool in digital marketing. Businesses embracing AI-led strategies can reap long-term competitive benefits through better targeting, automation, and customer satisfaction. In the future, the paper recommends further research into topics like hybrid intelligence, real-time personalization, and the fusion of AI with upcoming technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Over the last two decades, the field of artificial intelligence in education has undergone significant changes. So, Recent years have witnessed very remarkable developments in the technical and technological fields. Political Science can help people understand themselves and their relationships with the governors and government. This valuable field helps people make better decisions and improve their lives. It is also helping address some of the world's most pressing problems, such as global poverty and national security. So, there is no doubt that political science as a branch of social sciences differs from practical fields such as Physics, Mathematics, and Biological Sciences, and therefore the use of artificial intelligence applications in the field will be different in some applications due to the characteristics of the field. The research problem revolved around the following question what is the role of artificial intelligence in improving the educational process in the political science field? The paper aims to highlight the AI Applications used in Educational Process, the difference between Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in learning and teaching, as well as the applications of VR in teaching political science. The paper concluded that AI applications in political science allow students to experience the world around them in a completely different way, and it can be done anytime and anywhere. And students can learn how to express themselves fully and confidently. It is the technology that has the potential to transform the way students learn.

PurposeAugmented reality is one of the technologies that developed and became widespread, especially after the 2000s. It is seen that innovations such as 3D virtual reality glasses, artificial intelligence-supported smart chatbots that communicate with customers in a virtual environment, keyless hotel systems, the Internet of Things, augmented reality applications, smart personal assistants, digital infrastructure concepts and face recognition systems are used in tourism businesses. The place and use of augmented reality technologies in tourism enterprises are discussed in this study. This study was evaluated from the perspective of UTAUT2. The purpose of this study is to examine the usability of augmented reality technologies in tourism businesses.Design/methodology/approachWithin the scope of the study, interviews were held with augmented reality application developers, digital marketing agencies and accommodation business managers. The obtained data were processed with the MAXQDA analysis program.FindingsIt has been determined that augmented reality is a useful and informative technological tool for tourists, it can help sales, promotion and marketing activities, and its usability potency in accommodation businesses is high.Originality/valueWhen the literature is reviewed, it is understood that the studies that apply to the opinions of the application developers and the managers of the accommodation establishments are limited. Therefore, this study has been prepared to contribute to the literature in this respect. This study examines and discusses the use of augmented reality technologies in tourism enterprises, the benefits and difficulties they will create from the perspective of application developers and accommodation business managers and their place in tourism enterprises. This study was evaluated from the perspective of UTAUT2. There is a need for research developed using UTAUT models in technology acceptance studies. In this respect, it will contribute to the literature.

Although virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology in tourism, little research has been conducted on what factors make consumers visit destinations presented by VR. To address this gap in the literature, this study developed a theoretical framework including authentic experience, cognitive and affective responses, attachment, and visit intention with VR tourism using a stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory. The results revealed significant impacts of authentic experience on cognitive and affective responses, indicating that authentic experience is an important factor in VR tourism. The study identified cognitive and affective responses as significant mediators in predicting attachment and visit intention. The results demonstrated that the intention to visit places shown in VR tourism was influenced by attachment to VR. Cognitive response had a stronger influence than affective response on the intention to visit a destination in VR. This study sheds light on why potential tourists visit destinations shown in VR.

Purpose Augmented reality (AR) is revolutionizing the tourism and hospitality industry by offering immersive experiences as well as creating more engaging, informative and accessible travel experiences that attract tourists from around the globe. From virtual tours and immersive historical site recreations to navigation assistance and cultural education, AR technology is transforming the way we explore and interact with the destinations. This study aims to identify benefits, risks, tools and techniques of AR in the tourism and hospitality literature. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a systematic literature review to answer six research questions. The authors also identified 33 primary studies, dated from January 2010 to February 2024 and coded them via a thematic analysis. Related studies were obtained through searching in Web of Science and Scopus. Findings The results identified nine themes for benefits, eight themes for risks/disadvantages and four tools and applications-related themes. Through the thematic analysis, the major benefits of AR in the tourism and hospitality were found to be differentiated travel experiences, improved performance of tourism value chain, more effective marketing efforts of tourism businesses, enhanced tourists’ engagement, enhanced performance of tourism destinations, stimulated behavioral intentions, tourist empowerment and providing more value, interactivity and integrity. Furthermore, eight risks were identified: physical, privacy and security, social, service failure, technical, psychological, managerial, information and knowledge gaps. The authors also recognized four tools and applications-related themes, namely, AR-enabled tools, AR applications, AR-enabled apps and AR-based techniques. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review provides the first systematic exploration of the existing literature on usage of AR in the context of tourism and hospitality value chain.

This study investigates the impact of Mixed Reality (MR) technology encompassing Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) – on enhancing the virtual tourism experience in Cotabato City’s tourist spots. A quantitative research design was employed, using a survey questionnaire to collect data from 70 respondents via random sampling. The questionnaire measured user perceptions across factors derived from technology acceptance and information systems success models: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, information quality, system quality, service quality, intention to use, and user satisfaction. The Kutawatu Go MR mobile application, which provides virtual tours of Cotabato City’s attractions, served as the platform for the virtual tourism experience. Descriptive statistics indicated overwhelmingly positive user perceptions on all measured aspects, with mean ratings mostly in the “Agree” to “Strongly Agree” range on a 5-point Likert scale. Notably, respondents found the MR application highly useful (mean ≈4.58/5) and enjoyable (≈4.55/5), and they expressed strong intentions both to continue using the app and to eventually visit the physical sites. The instrument demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.966). Correlation analysis revealed that key user perception factors (e.g. perceived usefulness, enjoyment, and quality dimensions) are strongly and significantly associated with both intention to use the MR system and overall satisfaction (all p < 0.01). These findings suggest that MR technology can greatly enhance user engagement and satisfaction in virtual tourism. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on immersive technologies in tourism by empirically validating theoretical models (Technology Acceptance Model and Information Systems Success Model) in a virtual tourism context. It also provides practical insights for tourism stakeholders and policymakers in leveraging MR applications to promote tourist destinations and augment visitor experiences remotely.