Abstract
Considering the recent lockdowns and travel bans due to COVID-19, novel tourism strategies are necessary to face the increasing need for innovative products and services and to ensure long-term sustainable growth. This study looks into the potential use of drones in providing online virtual tours of open-space tourist attractions. To do so, a novel mixed-integer linear mathematical model is developed to optimally determine the number and location of required facilities and the number of drones assigned to each center. The model is applied to a case study of Rome by selecting six historic sites as the tourist attractions and considering several candidate locations for establishing the facilities. The results of different potential scenarios imply that the project is profitable, even if the demand for virtual tours is low.
Highlights
The tourism sector has suffered considerable damages due to global catastrophes and crises
A novel mixed-integer linear mathematical model is developed to optimally determine the number and location of required facilities and the number of drones assigned to each center
The model is applied to a case study of Rome by selecting six historic sites as the tourist attractions and considering several candidate locations for establishing the facilities
Summary
The tourism sector has suffered considerable damages due to global catastrophes and crises. Past observations revealed that not long-lasting, most of these crises had an effect on tourism for only specific durations within identifiable time periods (Ren 2000). With the rise of the infectious coronavirus (COVID-19)—a highly infectious disease for which a cure is yet to be found—the prospects are that the tourism sector will likely suffer greater damage than it experienced with previous crises. Despite predictions that COVID-19 was still at its early stage, the damage experienced by the tourism industry has so far been tremendous. The ongoing pandemic has stirred tourism destinations into establishing a competitive advantage by promoting innovation in product and service design as well as marketing strategies that will ensure self-differentiation and long-term sustainable growth
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