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11- https://doi.org/10.1108/s1571-504320190000025007
Virtual Reality and Space Tourism
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Take Notes Abstract Virtual reality technologies have given rise to a new breed of space travel, enabling touring of cosmic environments without leaving the Earth. These tours democratize participation in space tourism and expand its itineraries – reproducing while also altering the practices of tourism itself. The chapter explores the ways in which they alter modes of establishing "authentic" tourism destinations and experiences, rendering outer space into a stage for the performance of space travel, while themselves facilitating novel avenues for its social organization and technological assertion. Virtual space tourism not only reflects the progression and metamorphoses in tourist practice and production but also has the potential to influence both the aspirations and prospects of our space futures. Keywords Virtual reality Experience Media technologies Touring Simulation Citation Damjanov, K. and Crouch, D. (2019), "Virtual Reality and Space Tourism", Space Tourism (Tourism Social Science Series, Vol. 25), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 117-137. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1571-504320190000025007 Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited Copyright © 2019 Emerald Publishing Limited Introduction During 2016, NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida offered the public exclusive tours of Mars. Rather than launching its visitors into orbit and space-shipping them to the neighboring planet, its exhibition space was transformed into a Martian landscape. However, there was no rusty red dust covering the ground, the hazy pink skies did not appear overhead, and there was no sudden drop in temperature or atmospheric pressure. Instead, the room became part of the virtual reality (VR) installation Destination: Mars (2016). Visitors were individually fitted with a headset which enabled them to "walk into" a realistic 3D simulation of the red planet. Wearing the Microsoft HoloLens, they were able to experience an augmented or mixed reality in which a virtual rendition of imagery collected by the sensory apparatus of the Curiosity rover was overlaid upon the layout of the exhibition space, allowing them to experience the sensation of moving through an alien environment. This was enabled by the adaptation of software called OnSight, originally co-developed by Microsoft and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to support Curiosity's operations by aiding the rover's command in analyzing terrain and determining pathways. The sightseers followed Curiosity's tracks and were led through several Martian sites by a digital holographic projection of astronaut Buzz Aldrin and rover driver Erisa Hines from Jet Propulsion Laboratory; they toured the key scientific activities and discoveries that make it possible for the visitors to "be there." Through Destination: Mars terrestrial space tourists shared an "immersive" interaction with the landscape of another planet (see Chapter 2 for discussion of terrestrial space tourism). While unique, this experience of touring places in outer space from the Earth is becoming increasingly common; this VR attraction set on Mars signposts far wider developments in VR technologies, in the practice and production of tourism and in the nature of space travel. Destination: Mars is just one of the many virtual tours that feature outer space in their itineraries. There is an increasing host of VR packages that offer forms of tourism set beyond the globe. They span a range of destinations, proposing journeys across our solar system and beyond – from a 3D Virtual Tour of the International Space Station to StarTracker VR – Mobile Sky Map (2016), which enables its user to "dive into a 3D star field" (2016, n.p.). Generated from the imagery and data gathered through the enterprise of space exploration, these tours combine diverse virtual interfaces with equipment such as goggles and headsets, wands, data gloves, and head-mounted displays to provide immersive simulations of environments in which to move, see, and interact with virtual artefacts. A range of them can be accessed through desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and gaming consoles at home or while on move. Others are presented at public forums for group experiences such as Destination: Mars, or Lockheed Martin's Mars Experience (2017), which transformed a school bus into a setting for a trip to Mars, its windows acting as the screens through which to experience a virtual journey on the red planet. Increasingly "out there" in their varied forms, these virtual tours not only register a popular interest in outer space, but also suggest the emergence of a distinct form of space tourism – one which harnesses the intermediation of technologies, the synthesizing possibilities of VR, and our collective aspiration toward outer space. The proliferation of these remote space tours emerges from ongoing developments in VR technologies. Since hesitant beginnings in the late twentieth century, VR technology has grown significantly in scale. Advances in hardware and software – in particular the rise of affordable domestic headsets such as Google Cardboard, Microsoft HoloLens, HTC Vive, Samsung Gear VR, and Oculus Rift – have brought VR to the masses, providing what they describe as "fully immersive" experiences "with realistic graphics, directional audio and HD haptic feedback" (HTC Vive, n.d., n.p.). Propelled by ever-present market forces, the consumption of virtual realities has become an everyday activity for many, with "reaches far beyond gaming and entertainment" (Scolaro, 2016, n.p.), and it is anticipated that consumer spending on VR will grow from "$108.8 million in 2014 to $21.8 billion worldwide by 2020" (Ewalt, 2015, n.p.). The virtual tour has thus far emerged as one of the most noteworthy and popular forms of VR application; tourism industries themselves increasingly incorporate them in order to market their products, to inspire consumers, and to enhance their experience of certain destinations. However, VR is used not only as a means of attracting visitors to museums, galleries, noteworthy places and panoramas, or particular hotels and resorts, but also as a form of tourism itself. Its purview is to give a preview of a destination, and also to enable an intrinsic kind of "armchair" travel. VR tours have increased not only the overall numbers of those who can be considered "tourists", but also the display of destinations exponentially – their synthetic worlds now even take the users to locations that they would otherwise be unable to visit, places which are expensive, dangerous, or impossible to reach. It is no surprise, then, that outer space is one of the key directions being taken by the evolving courses of virtual tourism. It is an inhuman environment, financially and logistically inaccessible to most, and thus far very few have toured it. Set in outer space, the VR tour promises the experience of traveling its expanses while never leaving the Earth. As a means of exploring the cosmos, it might thus also indicate the evolution of space travel, in general, and of space tourism in particular. The design of these armchair tours emerges from transactions between the hard-science and creative industries which gather around the exotica of outer space to provide novel, virtual modes of its exploration. VR technologies are prominently used for astronaut-training simulations and a range of space activities such as scientific research, planning, and aerospace engineering. For example, a HoloLens aboard the ISS is used to "provide virtual aid to astronauts" (NASA, 2015, n.p.), augmenting procedures with holographic images superimposed onto objects the astronaut is interacting with and allowing those on the Earth to "see from an astronaut's point-of-view and send them drawings and other visual instructions on how to complete tasks" (Franzen, 2016, n.p.). NASA has developed various VR applications designed to advance and bolster space endeavors, such as systems that assist "scientists in planning rover drives and even holding meetings on Mars" and make "studying Martian geology as intuitive as turning your head and walking around" (NASA, 2017a, 2017b, n.p.). These virtual advances in outer space are increasingly finding their way into public culture. Destination: Mars (2016), for instance, was not only adapted from the VR set-up used in Mars operations, but after its time as an attraction in Florida, it was further re-developed into a freely available application – Access Mars: A WebVR Experiment (2017), which now allows "anyone with an Internet connection [to] take a guided tour of what […] scientists experience" (NASA, 2017a, 2017b, n.p.). Part of an interest in outer space and its exploration more broadly – transposed from the fields of science to the marketplace – such products have, in other words, opened up the cosmos as a public tourist domain. Combining educational and entertainment content with the novelty of virtual environments, they contribute to the gradual domestication of outer space and the socialization of its exploration – moving space tourism from the province of the very few, into the realm of the masses. VR tours set in outer space are the outcome of ongoing innovations in informatics, media, and communication technologies that have been profoundly altering the domain of tourism. Facilitating the production, circulation, and consumption of tourist sights and experiences, these developments have not only complemented, but also increasingly constituted, the registers of travel. These technologic conditions have created a situation in which tourist experiences are no longer only contained within classic modes of travel but also exist as an experience of "simulated mobility through the incredible fluidity of multiple signs and electronic images" (Urry, 1995, p. 148). As part of this, VR augments tourism. The VR experience is equated with tourist experiences, contributing to a more general movement which conflates real and representational spaces, meaning places are not "fixed or given", but "emerge as 'tourist places'" when they are "assembled" or "produced through networked mobilities of capital, persons, objects, signs and information" – as "places to play" (Urry & Larsen, 2011, p. 119). At the same time, VR tours of space extend the arena of tourism beyond the confines of the globe, affording the experience of space travel for all. As part of the new socio-spatial interface that complicates distinctions between home and away, the presence and the absence, authentic and staged (Hannam, Butler, & Paris, 2014), they amplify the metamorphoses that technologic advances have conferred upon tourist modes and suggest the prospective forms they may take. The effects of VR space tourism are many and varied, and their repercussions are yet to be established. VR itself is still an emerging medium, and extraterrestrial tours still an undeveloped manner of travel. However, our primary aim in this chapter is to review the recent and current forms of virtual space tours in their nascent stages, to chart their proliferation and growing sophistication by providing examples of their different manifestations, emphases, and the range of locations they include in their itineraries. We consider how these synthetic spaces transpose the practice of touring into outer space, explore how virtual space travel might influence the constitution of our "touristic" disposition, and suggest some of the changes that VR space tours appear to introduce into the broad motivations undergirding our desire to "go beyond." Outlining the range of "immersive" experiences offered to VR space tourists, we suggest that this medium not only appears to widen the stage upon which we are able to perform the role of tourist – elongating its acquisitive gaze and complicating its prerequisites of physical presence – but also contributes to the greater mapping of outer space as a tourist site. We close with a brief consideration of the potential limitations and future possibilities of virtual tourism in outer space, reflecting upon the ways in which these tours technologically extend the tourist into the spectacle of space exploration as well as reveal a social and organizational capacity to influence the direction of space tourism and also our collective aspirations in outer space – to determine, in other words, the very conditions of how we approach, arrange, conquer, or acquire, new places to travel. Virtual Reality Experiences of Space Tourism Accelerations of interest and investment in progressing the itineraries of space tourism and the capacity and applications of VR technologies have rendered outer space into an infinitively travelable site. While the journeys of the very few tourists who have ventured beyond the globe have consisted mostly of visits to the ISS, the affordances of VR are permitting space travel into myriad other destinations, supplying tours of popular celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars or more exotic locations such as the planet "40 light years away" featured in NASA VR: On the Surface of Planet TRAPPIST-1d (2017, n.p.). VR technologies have the potential to change not only the entertainment industries, information consumption, and the mobility of the masses, but also the way we interact with the world. If on the Earth, virtual travel enables "transcending geographical and often social distance through information and communications technology" (Szerszynski & Urry, 2006, p. 116), set in outer space, it "transcends" the terrestrial geographies of this world, redefining the ambits of tourism and our relationship with outer space. VR space tours compound the novelties of a virtual environment and space travel; this amalgam, in which both form and content appear new and different, gives birth to a tourist who is part of a "culture of flows" and the hybrid "spaces of 'in-betweenness'" (Rojek & Urry, 1997, p. 11). However, the question that continues to undergird "virtual tourism" (and the idea of simulated travel and movement more generally) concerns the authenticity of the experience itself; as a setting, outer space only further complicates this uncertain and undecided purview. What we know of the experience of space travel can only be garnered from the limited records of people who can claim first-hand experience, but what we do know of outer space is that it is essentially an inhuman environment, a place in which our presence is both restricted to temporary sojourns and necessarily sustained by technology, where all humans are in effect tourists. By crafting an interpretation of outer space based upon the wealth of techno-scientific data generated through its observation and exploration, VR tours strive to simulate a realistic sense of presence "out there", attempting to bring their audiences as closely as possible to the cosmos without having to leave the Earth. But there are limits to this, and there are as yet no "genuine" replications of inhuman space environments as VR experiences. While a VR gaming simulation like Adr1ft (2016) might realistically recreate the "nauseating" and enclosed sensation of floating in zero gravity in a spacesuit, it disregards most of the physics and atmospheric effects of outer space – which ultimately undercuts the illusion of real presence that it sets out to establish. Similarly, Destination: Mars (2016) makes it possible to "walk on Mars" in the steps of rovers without the need for oxygen or any thought given to the effects of radiation or a different surface gravity; the authenticity of the experience wavers at the realization that Mars is a place where we cannot be without technological artifice. Yet, it is perhaps also the realization of this utter reliance upon technologies that returns a certain authenticity to the prosthetic VR experience. While travel in outer space means surrounding yourself in a "bubble" of mediating technologies, touring in VR is an immersion in a technologically created digital environment. In this sense, VR technology could be a suitable substitute for real space travel; technological necessity makes the experience of one continuous with the other. That said, VR space tours are nonetheless consistently concerned with their own presentation or performance of a "real" experience. What the VR industry categorizes under the de facto term experiences are packaged and presented as interactive real-time simulations. For example, a variety of space apps offered through Oculus like Hello Mars (2017) and its rendition of the "7 minutes of terror" landing sequence "created strictly based on NASA's public data & research" (Oculus, 2018a), Solar System (2015) in which one "can almost feel the structure of distant planets and moons under the feet" (Oculus, 2018b, n.p.), or Discovering Space 2 (2017), which lets one "[e]xperience the mood and atmosphere of worlds far away from home" (Oculus, 2018c, n.p.) – are all (among many others) marketed as in some way "realistic" experiences. This authenticity is, however, produced through their design – the hardware and software that they rely upon becoming a necessary part of the equation, influencing questions of perception, imitation, and reality. These mimetic environments are increasing in sophistication, becoming more precise, more accurate, but also more able to trick the eyes and mind, and at the same time, they are becoming more accepted as legitimate sites of social practice and authentic interaction. If the "touristic consciousness is motivated by its desire for authentic experiences" (MacCannell, 2013, p. 101), then the consciousness of the VR tourist complicates our conceptions of what is authentic and reopens questions of what is "real" experience. It is an experience of travel that occurs only through the simulation of presence and interaction with a synthetic environment, and while tourists might these their experiences there will for be they perhaps for authentic experiences, and (MacCannell, 2013, p. While their authenticity might be (MacCannell, 2013, p. VR tours nonetheless a distinct form of what as the of p. with and physical – but also not the of the – the forms of authenticity that VR tourism are to both activity and than the or the of certain p. The authenticity in the VR experience of space itself – and the of a experience, our sense of presence is through As the experience of as authentic is not an that or from the experience of a out there" pp. the experience with particular ways of to and VR tourists in space do not as they were in a by the experience of being in the presence of authentic do they feel the of places or as than questions of and how the toured objects are the experience" of this of tourism or by the of tourist p. 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While VR itself complicates the geographical nature of VR in outer space still more to the idea that tourist practice experience, a sense of If real tourism is there" – a experience of physical – be there as and what is in most tourism" p. – then the of virtual space can offer in the way of a tourist In virtual tourism in outer space those which are to the to travel to particular places – such as of and to – appear to be by the practices of digital and the and of information and technologies. This is not to that VR the need for physical space or experience with that is forms of VR space tours some the bodies of tourists and and in certain physical spaces, but this terrestrial is only a stage set to be overlaid with of data and images designed to with and the VR space tours incorporate various to simulate environments and enhance a sense of For example, Lockheed Martin's Mars Experience (2017) a Martian dust with atmospheric effects to the HD displays that the windows of the moving school While VR presence is still through such experiences also haptic and while provide presence in VR – the that your virtual are your n.p.), a set of and the movement of the into VR equipment is and of into the activity and experience of There have been many other examples in which sensation is with virtual the experience of space travel, for instance, the (2017) which used HTC in with visual and effects to simulate the experience of VR are increasingly toward different forms of the and indicate the potential to become However, their between the and technology a new kind of a new medium of sensory experience that a place of and an of the tourist and technology, virtual travel in space of tourism as and & p. while possible and that would otherwise be beyond experience" & Larsen, 2006, p. in what as an of these of outer space the of reality to a – and as a of new of and the of a market in synthetic p. 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As space VR might be but as a is a real one – it is a being a it is real to a tourist and thus to or in tourism" p. any space travel itself an VR products that offer to technologically extend the interest in p. are thus part of the practice and production of tourism and as experiences within its Virtual space tours from our beyond the planet. the humans who the Earth have only been as far as the of outer space have been well and and with increasing in which no has yet digital of extraterrestrial space are virtual spaces in are with of celestial objects, and and the courses of of or at and out our into space. space in this sense appears as a with tourist with the of and travel VR space tours from these of space they are set in a space and themselves it for As they may the that has been – a virtual environment accessed of of might not a sense of or suggest the experience of exploring the Yet, it is in this that places are as and become tourist destinations, complete with to visit, to sights to see, and sites to Through and images of and providing as of VR tours outer space for all the practices and that tourism might into virtual locations like on Mars or the technologies like Curiosity and the ISS, and like Buzz themselves become which are
- Research Article
- 10.1093/ajcp/aqaf121.455
- Nov 1, 2025
- American Journal of Clinical Pathology
Background In the wake of social distancing, many institutions resorted to using varying levels of digital education modalities and virtual tours for education or recruitment. The virtual reality (VR) simulations use partial immersion through a digital learning environment to foster a perceived lived experience for an intended outcome. Integrating simulation and interactive media fits within gamification with has shown effectiveness to increase learner engagement and retention. Objective This study aimed to enhance medical education by integrating 360° VR tours into the clinical pathology curriculum and to evaluate the effectiveness of VR compared to traditional didactic methods, primarily in regards to interactivity and with a secondary outcome of retention. Methods Seven 360° VR tours were developed for pathology laboratories at a large academic medical center. Two (Microbiology and Transfusion Services) were selected for further enhancement and integration into the curriculum of remote learning courses. A controlled crossover study was conducted with 171 medical students (83% MS4) from April 2021 to April 2023. The students were randomly assigned to participate in either VR or PowerPoint (PP) presentations. Surveys on a 5-point Likert scale and learning assessments were used to measure understanding, interactivity, relevance, engagement, and knowledge retention. Results 15 course cohorts contained 171 enrolled students. Approximately 14% of students (n = 23) stated a primary career interest in pathology at the outset of the rotation, and 6 students (3.5%) later became residents in the institution’s pathology department. 16 students were unable to participate in the proctored activity due to scheduling conflicts. 155 students were randomized into the experimental comparison of the VR and PP tour formats. With a response rate exceeding 90%, VR participants rated interactivity significantly higher than PP participants (average 4.48 vs. 3.48, p < 0.001). VR participants also demonstrated higher engagement scores (average 4.21 vs. 3.92, p = 0.004), although average assessment scores were slightly lower for VR participants than for PP participants (6.2 vs. 6.5, p = 0.1). In-depth textual analysis highlighted themes of enhanced engagement and interactivity, although some students reported challenges with VR navigation. Conclusions The integration of 360° VR tours into the clinical pathology curriculum enhances interactivity and learner engagement, presenting a scalable solution for remote learning. This modality is especially suited for educational activities where the location and environment are critical experiential components. While VR tours did not substantially improve short-term knowledge retention compared to traditional methods, they significantly increased student engagement, an essential component for effective learning. Limitations such as navigation difficulties and technological barriers underscore the need for iterative improvements in VR experiences. These findings support the continued use of VR tours as a supplementary educational tool, complementing traditional curricula to provide a more immersive and interactive educational experience.
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- 20
- 10.3390/su14053064
- Mar 6, 2022
- Sustainability
Virtual reality (VR) is among the main technologies revolutionizing numerous sectors, including tourism. In the latter context, virtual tours (VTs) are finding increasing application. Providing an immersive and realistic human–machine interaction, VR tours can bring visitors to virtually experience destination areas. The proposed research presents a theoretical and empirical investigation of the role played by some technical VR features (i.e., presence, immersion, ease-of-use) on VR visitors’ enjoyment, satisfaction, and, accordingly, on the physical visit intention of the production site and neighboring areas. After having experienced a 360-degree VR tour of a food production site, created specifically for this study, 140 visitors were surveyed online. Results—emerging from a PLS structural equation model—show that immersion and presence both directly impact the enjoyment and indirectly the user’s VR tour satisfaction and visit intention. Further, if the VR tour is perceived as easy to use, it influences visitors’ satisfaction and physical visit intention. This study contributes to the novel VR literature, applied in the tourism sector, evidencing how immersive and enjoyable scenarios, experienced via widespread devices such as smartphones, may impact tourists’ choices. In food tourism, VR technologies can be fundamental in attracting new visitors to the production sites and neighboring areas.
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- 1
- 10.3390/buildings14051291
- May 2, 2024
- Buildings
Though we spend a significant amount of time in indoor and built environments as general occupants of residential or commercial spaces, we do not necessarily know how the heating, cooling, and ventilation services work in our occupied spaces. As the mechanical systems of buildings become more complex for energy saving and better indoor air quality, it is beneficial for occupants to learn more their built environment so that they can cooperate effectively for the building’s performance. In this context, the purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate how virtual reality (VR) technology can support occupants in understanding their built environment. An educational building on campus was selected for the development as it provides familiar spaces for potential participants in this research. This research was carried out in two stages. In Stage One, we, as researchers in mechanical engineering, explored the workflow for VR development and developed VR tours for four spaces: a classroom, an auditorium, a conference room, and a mechanical room. In Stage Two, we conducted a survey study to examine the VR experience from the perspective of users. In this survey study, we recruited 34 participants from engineering students/graduates, industry participants, and a sustainability group. The participants generally indicated a positive experience with the VR tours, although the quiz scores on the VR content were weak. From our reflection, we consider that positive and effective VR experiences for the education of the built environment require collaboration from three domains: (1) mechanical systems of buildings, (2) VR technology, and (3) pedagogy.
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- 32
- 10.1080/10872981.2020.1777066
- Jan 1, 2020
- Medical Education Online
Background Residency programs invest a significant amount of time and resources on the recruitment process, and maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness are very important. Virtual Reality (VR) has become an adaptive substitute for ‘real life’ experiences and its use during the interview season could help save time and resources. Objective With the intention to maximize the interview day and provide a cost-effective alternative to facility tours, a Med-Peds residency training program introduced a VR tour of their children’s hospital during recruitment. Design The Med-Peds program replaced an in-person facility tour of the children’s hospital with a VR tour. Applicants were asked to complete an anonymous, voluntary survey on their VR experience at the end of the interview season, and rank features of the interview day in order of importance. Results There were 33 respondents out of 54 interviewees. Approximately two thirds (63–66%) agreed that VR was non-inferior and superior to in-person facility tours, and that the use of VR had a favorable impact on their perception of the program. However, almost 50% of the applicants had some difficulty using VR technology. Conclusion Use of VR facility tours as an alternative to in-person tours of affiliate training facilities during a residency interview day is a viable and innovative option that can save time and money and favorably impact the applicant’s impression of the program. More research is necessary to assess whether VR tours can replace in-person tours at the main teaching site, however, while social distancing measures are in place, VR tours may become necessary for programs moving forward. Abbreviations Med-Peds: Internal Medicine-Pediatrics; VR: Virtual Reality; AAMC: Association of American Medical Colleges; IRB: Institutional Review Board
- Research Article
- 10.25683/volbi.2022.58.129
- Feb 20, 2022
- Бизнес. Образование. Право
Рассматриваются особенности применения технологий VR (виртуальной реальности) и AR (дополненной реальности) организациями финансовой сферы. Определяется специфика технологий виртуальной и дополненной реальности. Последовательно представлена история их продвижения на рынки, отмечены наиболее яркие факты, результаты совершенствования в контексте технологического прогресса (Sensorama, head-mounted display, «Кинокарта Аспена», устройство Eye Tap, коммерческая система RB2, VR-консоль компании SEGA Games Co., очки Oculus Rift и др.). Отмечаются области и возможности их применения. Изучена степень проникновения технологий виртуальной и дополненной реальности в деятельность финансовых организаций. Указаны основные направления их применения: приведены конкретные примеры интеграции VR- и AR-технологий в работу финансовых организаций. Систематизированы такие цели применения AR- и VR-технологий в финансовой сфере, как упрощение получения и обработки информации клиентами посредством приема визуализации, сохранение безопасности, маркетинговые коммуникативные цели и др. В результате проведенного исследования обозначены тенденции использования технологий на финансовом рынке, выявлены возможности их развития и перспективы применения, факторы, сдерживающие их развитие, определены и систематизированы преимущества и недостатки как самих технологий, так и функционирования этих технологий в финансовой среде. В заключение сделан вывод о том, что применение VR- и AR-технологий позволит финансовым организациям укрепить свои конкурентные позиции на рынке, а клиентам финансовых организаций — создать собственную безопасную онлайн-среду, в которой они смогут управлять своими деньгами и инвестициями и совершать транзакции. The features of the use of VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) technologies by financial organizations are considered. The specifics of virtual and augmented reality technologies are determined. The history of their promotion to markets is presented in a coherent manner, highlighting key facts, the results of improvements in the context of technological advances (Sensorama, head-mounted display, Aspen’s Cinema Map, Eye Tap device, RB2 commercial system, VR-console of SEGA Games Co., glasses Oculus Rift and more). Areas and possibilities of their application are noted. The areas and possibilities of their application are highlighted. The degree of penetration of virtual and augmented reality technologies in the activities of financial institutions is explored. The main directions of their application are indicated: specific examples of integration of VR- and AR-technologies in the work of financial institutions are given. The goals of using AR and VR technologies in the financial sector, such as simplifying the receipt and processing of information by clients through the reception of visualization, maintaining security, marketing communication goals, etc., are systematized. As a result of the study, trends in the use of the technologies in the financial market are identified, opportunities for their development and prospects of application, factors that restrain their development are identified, the advantages and disadvantages of both the technologies themselves and the functioning of these technologies in the financial environment are identified and systematized. It is concluded that the use of VR and AR technologies will allow financial institutions to strengthen their competitive positions in the market, and let the clients of financial institutions create their own secure online environment in which they can manage their money and investments and make transactions.
- Book Chapter
- 10.4018/979-8-3693-8417-6.ch011
- Feb 21, 2025
Destination marketing organisations, due to the constant increase of competition, are implementing innovative methods of attracting demand, and technologies are now paramount for destinations. Among the technological advances provided by destinations are the virtual reality tours, which can be enjoyed by users by a variety of reasons, but all impacting destinations' tourism development. One debates how the tourist experience can be improved through the use of virtual reality as a destination marketing tool, drawing upon experiential marketing conceptualisations. With that intent, a semi-systematic literature review was conducted, allowing us to introduce rigour and objectivity into the analysis and discussion. However, conducting an exploratory study also have its disadvantages, as it is an interpretive exercise and therefore, heavily dependent on the researcher's own perspective. We provide a new framework, that addresses the interrelationship between virtual reality, virtual reality experiences and destination marketing. At the end, possible future research avenues are outlined.
- Research Article
- 10.1108/qmr-12-2021-0152
- Jul 25, 2024
- Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal
Purpose Understanding tourist experiences with virtual reality (VR) products is essential for firms using VR for tourism marketing, particularly in developing countries where customers do not have access to personal VR devices or gadgets. This study aims to provide insights into technology usage for tourism marketing India, which is a developing country. It explores 360° virtual tours as an upcoming strategy for tourism promotion by analysing tourists’ perspectives through a qualitative approach. Design/methodology/approach 360° YouTube video launched by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, was shown to the participants as a marketing stimulus, followed by questions to understand tourists’ experiences and intentions. Responses were collected from 45 tourists who visited popular tourist destinations such as Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. Findings The findings of the study indicate that several crucial elements play a pivotal role in creating the 360° VR experience. Based on interviews, it was found that 360° video experiences assist in visualising a destination through imaginative exploration, generating curiosity about the destination, forming a favourable image of the destination and facilitates ease of experience. A few participants mentioned experiencing discomforts, such as motion sickness and eye strain, while viewing 360° videos. Moreover, tourists provided valuable insights into various factors, including how 360° videos elicit arousal through entertainment and excitement, develop immersion and engagement in the virtual environment (VE), aid in assessing destination suitability, offers advantage over other media, serves as a substitutes for travel during constraints, generates assurance and influences intentions. These factors have emerged as significant considerations influencing their willingness to adopt such technology in the future. Originality/value In the contemporary market landscape, 360° VR technology is anticipated to enhance the experiential elements within VEs. While existing research has focused on the technical attributes of VR, there remains a crucial gap pertaining to the experiential and destination-related elements and their influence on usage, travel planning and intentions. Therefore, this study provides deeper insights into the unexplored concepts and dimensions of the virtual tourism experience, particularly concerning interaction with 360° videos. The study contributes novel insights to the existing body of tourism literature and provides practical implications for enhancing 360° virtual tour experiences.
- Research Article
- 34
- 10.1108/07378830010333572
- Jun 1, 2000
- Library Hi Tech
This paper investigates and illustrates the potential of using panorama virtual reality to enhance Web‐based library instruction. It describes a project in Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A&M University that emulates a physical tour and renders it into an attention‐getting virtual tour with 360‐degree realistic views. The paper outlines three progressive developments in the use of tour as an instructional medium: the “physical tour”, the “Web virtual tour”, and the “virtual reality tour”. The project illustrates that panorama VR could be a powerful tool to combine the “physical tour” and the “Web‐based virtual tour” into one, making it a more useful medium that allows navigating, viewing, reading, hearing and remote access. The issues of design, hardware, software, and cost are addressed. The discussion also includes an overview of the Internet‐based VR technologies, a literature review of using VR technologies for learning and some considerations on future applications of panorama‐based virtual reality.
- Book Chapter
- 1
- 10.1007/978-981-10-0087-4_7
- Jan 1, 2016
The fast changing world of technology affects many areas of society in a positive way including tourism. The use of emerging technologies such as virtual reality, multimedia, and mobile technologies is changing the tourism industry through showcasing the wonders of undiscovered nature hidden beneath the undiscovered municipalities, such as the Panguil River Eco-Park (PREP) in Pangil, Cabuyao, Philippines. Potential visitors can now reach these hidden wonders of nature without actually being in the vicinity with virtual reality tour. Uncertainties as to what to expect in the vicinity would be reduced, giving them an opportunity to explore and roam around inside which has led to the development of the 3D Mobile Virtual Tour Application (MoViT) for the Panguil River Eco-Park which was developed and designed employing story conception, concept scripting, feasibility analysis, script writing, system evaluation, revision, integration, and system operation. Based on the result of the usability testing, the study was able to provide an experience of the eco-park giving the potential visitors a “feel” of the eco-park. Moreover, the staff of the Eco-park was asked to validate the design of MoViT app and persuade visitors whose initial intention is to just swim in the river and is not interested on visiting the other points of interest such as the waterfalls. The results showed that the respondents were able to use the virtual tour guide application and were able to determine the different points of interest with ease, and they were able to have the “feel” of the eco-park.
- Conference Article
- 10.14236/ewic/eva2016.36
- Jan 1, 2016
This paper discusses a virtual reality tour of the “Focus on Favorites, Masterworks from the Gilcrease Collection” exhibition at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The virtual museum tour combines photographs, audio recording, and digitization. The goal was to create an engaging and self-directed interactive experience. The tour relies on photo-spheres and 3D scans of objects to create the visuals. The result is an interactive experience using virtual reality technologies to enhance the immersion of the viewer. It was designed to be used by the Gilcrease on Wheels program for rural school districts and under-served communities in Oklahoma so that these students can experience some of the museum’s collection. The target audience for the virtual reality tour which uses the Oculus Rift DK2 is eighth grade students because of restrictions by the manufacturer. For lower grades, the tour can be a group experience accessed via a projector in a lecture setting.
- Conference Article
- 3
- 10.2991/etmhs-15.2015.301
- Jan 1, 2015
As virtual reality technology matures and popular, it is gradually applied in art design.Virtual reality is constructed by high-tech means of the artificial environment.How best to achieve the user in the virtual world of realistic experience, has become a new research hotspot.In view of the present virtual reality technology and virtual aesthetics can improve the effect of the simulation are faced with the problem, in this paper, the study of virtual reality in art and design.Put forward the integration of technology and art technique can improve the virtual reality visual properties and the degree of match user requirements, improve the effect of the simulation.
- Research Article
- 50
- 10.1109/jbhi.2019.2892485
- Jan 11, 2019
- IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics
A virtual reality (VR) tour of the operating theatre could reduce preoperative anxiety by providing a realistic experience for children. This randomized clinical trial was designed to determine whether parental co-experience of preoperative VR tour through a mirroring display could further reduce preoperative anxiety. Eighty children scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia were randomly allocated into either the control or mirroring group. Children in the control group watched a 4-min immersive VR video showing the operating theatre and explaining the preoperative process, via a head mounted display. In the mirroring group, parents of children watched the same video through mirroring display concurrently while their child experienced the immersive VR tour. Preoperative anxiety and satisfaction score were measured. Eighty children completed the final analysis (control group = 40 and mirroring group = 40). Preoperative anxiety of children (p = 0.025) and parents (p = 0.009) were lower in the mirroring group compared with the control group. Parents' satisfaction in the mirroring group was significantly higher than those in the control group (p = 0.008). Parental co-experience of the VR tour with children through mirroring the display was effective in reducing preoperative anxiety in both children and parents.
- Research Article
- 10.1177/13567667251339839
- May 15, 2025
- Journal of Vacation Marketing
The purpose of this empirical study is to examine how the use of smart technologies—virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and intelligent virtual environments (IVEs)—impacts tourists’ overall wellbeing in the context of a virtual destination tour. It also aims to explore the direct and moderating effects of tourists’ need-for-cognition (NfC) in the prestay phase. Two factors were examined in an experimental setting. The first factor, technology-type, was manipulated using four treatments reflecting four levels of sophistication: (1) static virtual tour (two-dimensional (2D) images) as a control group; (2) virtual tour with VR (360° images); (3) virtual tour with AI (intelligent chatbot plus 2D images); and (4) virtual tour with IVE (intelligent chatbot plus 360° images). The second factor, NfC, distinguished between individuals with high versus low NfC. The results indicate that (i) virtual tours enhanced by VR, AI, or IVE technology exert a positive and significant effect on tourists’ wellbeing during the prestay phase; (ii) NfC exerts a positive and significant effect on tourist overall wellbeing; and (iii) NfC moderates the relationship between a virtual tour with IVE and tourist overall wellbeing.
- Research Article
- 1
- 10.54254/2755-2721/52/20241665
- Mar 27, 2024
- Applied and Computational Engineering
This paper describes the applications and challenges of virtual reality (VR) technology, with a focus on how to improve users' sense of experience in VR environments. In order to better understand users' sense of experience in VR environments, this paper uses a variety of methods for data analysis. The findings show that the older and longer the duration, the more immersive the user is and the higher the immersion with Oculus Rift. 30-36 year old males, 32-35 year old females, and 34-40 year olds experienced higher immersion, while 34-44 year olds had the lowest motion sickness but the best experience. Men with HTC Vive experience higher immersion, while women and others with Oculus Rift experience higher immersion. According to the study, the HTC Vive is best for users under the age of 30, the Playstation VR is best for users aged 30-50, and the Oculus Rift is best for users over 50. In terms of duration, the Oculus Rift provides the best experience for users under 10 minutes and over 40 minutes, while the HTC Vive is better in the 10-40 minute duration. Male users are most immersed at 23-31 minutes, female users are most immersed at 23-31 minutes, and other users are most immersed at 26-33 minutes. Motion sickness was lowest, but the best duration of the experience was 31 minutes.HTC Vive users felt higher immersion at 25-32 minutes, Playstation VR users at 21-28 minutes, and Oculus Rift users at 25-34 minutes. These conclusions provide an important reference basis for improving users' experience in the VR environment. At the same time, this paper puts forward targeted recommendations based on the conclusions drawn from the statistical analysis of the data, which can largely help users to improve the sense of VR experience and bring users an immersive virtual reality experience.
- Research Article
- 1
- 10.24144/2307-3322.2024.82.1.62
- May 16, 2024
- Uzhhorod National University Herald. Series: Law
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.
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