Sense of place of tourism destinations in a metaverse paradigm

Abstract

This thought-provoking conceptual research pioneers the conceptualization of sense of place (SOP) in tourism within a metaverse paradigm, where the convergence of real and digital realms compels us to reframe our understanding of tourism destinations. Built upon three major perspectives, corresponding paradigm shifts have been proposed: (1) SOP as an individual's cognition of a tourism destination: from multimodal–socio-psychological to embodied–augmented; (2) SOP as the interconnection between an individual and a destination: from a person-to-place bond to a multiple person–place unity; and (3) SOP as modalities that communicate meanings of a destination: from narratology (stories) to dramaturgy (plays). This study aims to catalyze further research that re-examine established assumptions and conceptualizations of tourism-related constructs, given the ever-evolving technological landscape.