virtual tourism robots

Tourism in the metaverse: Can travel go virtual?

Imagine a future where your travel choices have no geographic constraints. Where you can join your friends in the front row of a concert by your favorite star—but the crowd is 300 million strong, your friends are on the other side of the world, and it’s all happening at the Great Pyramid of Giza. Later you’ll do some shopping at the virtual souk and take a digital Nile cruise, before teleporting back home in an instant.

Impossible? Or a tempting package trip that might soon be available from the comfort of your home? With the internet’s rapid evolution, many see this vision of transformed travel on the horizon—in the metaverse. Others caution that this future might take a little longer to arrive, and that travelers resist “metaversification” of key parts of the tourism journey.

The metaverse is seen as the next evolution of the internet—a collective space where physical and digital worlds converge to deliver more immersive, interactive virtual- or augmented-reality (VR/AR) user experiences, often referred to together as extended reality (XR). The underlying technology for this exists and is proving relatively cheap and fast to implement. Driven largely by inspirational advertising and virtual events, the potential rewards for the travel industry are already substantial: more than $20 billion by 2030, by McKinsey estimates.

This has potential to revolutionize the way we explore new worlds: already, you can attend concerts, shop, test products, visit attractions, and take workshops, all without physically traveling anywhere. Currently, the user demographic trends very young, but it’s crucial for the tourism sector to appeal to this segment. 1 Hristina Nikolovska, “Metaverse Statistics to Prepare You for the Future,” February 16, 2023. After all, these are the travelers of the future—and players not keeping pace with their interests will lose out.

But does XR live up to all the hype—with appeal beyond a gamer demographic? A virtual trip can never replace the thrill of certain tangible, real-word experiences, and some traveler touchpoints have proved more ripe for disruption than others.

Despite these hesitations, the XR ecosystem is maturing at pace. Immersive VR/AR devices may well follow the steep adoption curves of laptops and smartphones. Widespread use could lead to a radical extension of the global economy from physical into virtual life, not least in tourism.

So how does a tourism player go about monetizing this virtual paradigm, which is still taking shape and many struggle to define? It’s time for the sector to take a serious look at these complex opportunities—and figure out what best drives traction in the new XR universe.

Touring the metaverse: early trends

The metaverse could enrich the tourism experience in countless unprecedented, innovative ways—but which use cases have the most potential, and which are still deemed risky? Early adopters have already started experimenting, and several trends have emerged. Virtual elements can be layered onto an established business:

• In the wake of the fire that damaged the famous cathedral in 2019, French start-up Histovery produced an augmented exhibition on the history of Notre-Dame de Paris—motivated in part by an increased awareness of the fragility of physical landmarks. To navigate the exhibition, each visitor uses a “HistoPad” touch screen to take an immersive tour that allows interaction with physical elements: giant photographs, 3-D models of statues, replica flooring and stained glass, and audio of Notre-Dame’s organs and bells. Effects include animation and a virtual scavenger hunt for younger visitors. 2 “Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition,” National Building Museum, April 2022.
• In December 2021, faced with record staff turnover, MGM Resorts International decided to apply a virtual solution. In partnership with immersive platform provider Strivr, MGM developed VR headsets that give aspirant front-of-house staff a realistic sense of what working at MGM casinos and hotels entails. The training package was rolled out at the company’s properties in 2022. It’s designed to speed up onboarding and upskilling, increase employee confidence, and familiarize potential hires with MGM procedures and culture. 3 Grace Dean, “MGM Resorts is letting job seekers try out roles using virtual reality as it looks to reduce employee churn,” Business Insider, December 12, 2021; Phil Albinus, “Rising Star goes all in on VR talent marketplace for MGM Resorts,” Human Resource Executive, June 14, 2022; “4 Examples of Strivr Virtual Reality Training,” Strivr.com.

Other virtual platforms allow visitors to explore major global landmarks, incorporating rich edutainment and retail opportunities. Several such initiatives have been launched:

• Responding to pandemic travel restrictions, ZEPETO World is a smartphone app that allows users to create personal avatars and travel around Korea. For example, the tour includes a highly detailed interactive map of Han River Park; this feature gets almost 257,000 visitors a day. Users are also able to communicate with each other, shop, and watch performances. ZEPETO World has approximately 190 million members. 4 Majid Mushtaq, “Korea Virtual Travel with ZEPETO World,” KoreabyMe, September 6, 2021.
• The BCB Group—a leading crypto banking group—has created a metaverse city that includes representations of some of the most visited destinations in the world, such as the Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty. According to BCB, the total cost of flights, transfers, and entry for all these landmarks would come to $7,600—while a virtual trip would cost just over $2. 5 “What impact can the Metaverse have on the travel industry?” Middle East Economy , July 29, 2022.
• Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) recently announced that the ancient city of Hegra had entered the metaverse, in line with a national program to drive technological transformation and innovation. It is the first UNESCO World Heritage Site to be placed in the metaverse, allowing digital tourists to explore the surroundings as well as Hegra’s Tomb of Lihyan son of Kuza. 6 Divsha Bhat, “Saudi’s Royal Commission for AlUla enters the metaverse,” Gulf Business , November 15, 2022; “Vision 2030,” The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; “Saudi Arabia’s AlUla enters the metaverse,” Arabian Business , November 14, 2022; One Carlo Diaz, “Hegra’s Tomb of Lihyan in AlUla is recreated in the metaverse,” NTravel, November 7, 2022.

Instead of attempting to replicate real-world experiences, entirely novel environments can also be created, convening people in a single immersive space—as in multiplayer online games. (Indeed, many people currently associate the metaverse largely with games.) The travel industry can harness this utility too.

This is particularly relevant to the meeting, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector, with virtual gatherings, exhibitions, and trade fairs looking to become mainstream. These allow people to gather and take part in activities in the same immersive space, while connecting from anywhere. This dramatically reduces travel, venue, catering, and other costs, while avoiding setbacks like adverse weather conditions or disease scares. For example, one Japanese start-up recently held a virtual market that attracted a wide response, with around 60 well-known companies participating. 7 “Metaverse x MICE; 3D virtual world that will transform MICE industry in the future,” Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau.

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What areas of tourism show promise.

As innovative formats become more mainstream, new economic models are emerging. The travel experience of the future will not be exclusively online or offline. Instead, we’ll most likely see a proliferation of hybrid offerings, with virtual events, edutainment, and inspiration combined with physical destinations.

One way to grapple with this complexity is to adopt a traveler-first mindset. By putting themselves in the shoes (or bedroom slippers) of their target tourist, travel companies can identify opportunities to embed relevant virtual elements.

Individual touchpoints, not end-to-end offerings

Virtual experiences that show promise are focused on a few specific, discrete steps in the end-to-end traveler journey (exhibit). Which touchpoints can be most effectively disrupted? Which hold the greatest possibilities for integration? Which steps can be elevated by an immersive element, allowing for exhilarating, fantastical or deluxe experiences not available in the physical world? Three touchpoints show great potential: travel inspiration, virtual events and visitor support.

Inspiration and planning: The metaverse creates a $13 billion opportunity for tourism inspiration, mostly driven by digital travel advertising. Virtual spaces—which can be used to showcase hotel amenities, airline classes, or an entire landmark—spark the desire to travel, give a holistic idea of a destination, help in traveler decision-making, showcase broader offerings, and raise awareness of unfamiliar locations. The case studies of AlUla and ZEPETO demonstrate how this can work. Qatar Airways offers another example: a recently launched VR experience called QVerse allows travelers to view cabin interiors, the business-class QSuite, and the VIP check-in area at Hamad International Airport. 8 Rose Dykins, “Qatar Airways creates virtual reality ‘QVerse’ experience,” Globetrender, June 13, 2022.

Leisure and entertainment: Live streaming soared during the pandemic, followed by a wave of interest in virtual concerts—with significant increases in consumer demand, spend, and audience numbers. 9 John Koetsier, “Virtual Events Up 1000% Since COVID-19, With 52,000 On Just One Platform,” May 27, 2020. In 2020, the metaverse accounted for 0.1 percent of live-music revenues—a figure which rose more than tenfold by 2021. By 2030, we estimate that virtual events could account for up to 20 percent of revenues, driven in part by their capacity to accommodate huge audience numbers at reduced cost.

Ariana Grande leads the way into the music future

In August 2021, Epic Games launched its latest Fortnite event, the Rift Tour, starring Grammy-winning artist Ariana Grande. 1 Isamu Nishijima, “Ariana Grande x Fortnite Rift Tour: The Apogee of Pop Culture or Just the Beginning?”, Headline Asia Publication , Aug 30, 2021. It was a match made in heaven: Fortnite, a wildly popular battle-royale game with then around 350 million registered users, and Ariana Grande, a universally adored pop artist. 2 Emi La Capra, “The Metaverse Concerts: Where Online Games and Music Performances Meet,” Alexandria , 2022. One of the first of such Fortnite collaborations, this was particularly significant: the first time Ariana Grande had performed in nearly two years, and the first concert to allow attendees to participate in minigames.

The concert was an acclaimed success. The Rift Tour was viewed by as many as 78 million players (compared to average conventional concert attendance of under 15,000); the number of streams of Grande’s songs rose by up to 123 percent during the concert, and other featured artists also saw a streaming boost. 3 Maggie Klaers, “PCP: Concert attendance,” SLP Echo, April 29, 2022. While a traditional concert by a top North American performer might rake in less than $1 million, it’s estimated that Grande made more than $20 million from her headline performance—which may be remembered as a critical inflection point for the live-entertainment industry. 4 Bob Allen, “Concert Industry Roars Back! Pollstar 2022 Mid-Year Report,” Pollstar, June 24, 2022.

With top artists generating around $20 million per metaverse concert, this industry has an anticipated income potential of upwards of $800 million by 2025, according to McKinsey estimates (see sidebar, “Ariana Grande leads the way into the music future”). Taken together with XR MICE, this sector is a rich opportunity: an expected $7 billion by 2030.

Visitor support: Some destinations have been exploring the idea of virtual concierges to support travelers at every stage of the journey with real-time itineraries, information, troubleshooting, visa issues, and more. Qatar Airways, for example, provides a MetaHuman cabin crew for an interactive customer experience. Immersive use cases already account for over 1 percent of chatbot investment, and this is expected to increase. Still, it may be several years before this touchpoint gains real traction.

Then there are touchpoints where the disruption potential of the metaverse is still debatable, or where opportunities may take longer to mature:

• Shopping: Multiple stores could be built in virtual destinations, adding a revenue stream with the sale of accessories, souvenirs and other items. These might be digital, or goods to be shipped in the real world. Iconic real-life stores might also operate as digital recreations.
• Booking: Customers are already comfortable with online booking, so a shift to XR interactions with virtual travel agents could be seamless. However, this is a relatively small business opportunity, with uncertain added value: the new technology is not expected to change or boost the functionality of current booking processes in any fundamental way.

There is currently limited interest in adding virtual elements to aspects of travel that are necessarily physical, such as mobility, accommodation, the logistics of arrival and departure, and food and drink (F&B).

Mobility is currently expected to have very limited XR use cases: tourists may access a metaverse experience while in a taxi, but are unlikely to replace physical with virtual mobility. The “stay” category is similarly sized. While people may wish to explore virtual stays in hotels or on cruise ships, these will not yet replace actual stays. Hotel developer CitizenM, for example, has announced plans to build a hotel in gaming world The Sandbox, allowing virtual visitors to explore the digital property and raise awareness of its brand. 10 Cajsa Carlson, “CitizenM to become ‘first hospitality company to build in the metaverse’,” dezeen, April 7, 2022.

Similarly, arrival-and-departure use cases are largely limited to customers seeking XR versions of modes of transport, such as business-class flights or special railway routes, without intending to visit. (Such experiences may serve as “portals” to expanded immersive worlds, however.) The F&B industry will likely be among the last to enter the metaverse.

Post trip, the real potential lies in the capacity to inspire further travel. However, actual follow up, currently often achieved via surveys, is unlikely to be deeply impacted.

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“no-regret” metaverse moves.

Taking the above factors into account, there are certain no-regret functions that tourism-industry players can pursue to be at the forefront of disruption. These promising use cases have already gained traction, with fast-moving industry players stepping in early to bet on their viability.

They fall into two categories: virtual event centers, and recreations of memorable landmarks that inspire visits. As we’ve seen, event centers are already showing substantial revenue potential for organizers and destinations through business gatherings and entertainment, with ticket sales, attendance fees, and ancillary retail opportunities.

At XR landmarks, visitors can explore, socialize, shop, and learn—all while gaining awareness of lesser-known destinations. Young people and tourists may flock to these social spaces for immersive fun. There may be edutainment opportunities, including specialized archaeology, geology or architecture classes. These spaces can be built on established or upcoming platforms (such as Metapolis) and operate in collaboration with third-party vendors to increase retail opportunities.

Themed gaming, too, can drive engagement with a location, and caters to a core XR demographic. This includes game developers: Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) is a newly released PC application for designing and publishing games and experiences directly into the online video game Fortnite. 11 The Fortnite Team, “Unreal Editor for Fortnite and Creator Economy 2.0 are here. New worlds await,” Fortnite, March 22, 2023.

There appears to be public appetite for recreations of individual landmarks rather than entire destinations: a metaverse Eiffel Tower rather than a complete metaverse Paris. An example is Dubai’s Burj Khalifa virtual experience, launched by event-management platform Eventcombo, which offers users a focused tour of the world’s tallest building. 12 “Dubai: Take an immersive tour of Burj Khalifa in metaverse,” Khaleej Times, October 8, 2022. For now, there seem to be fewer opportunities to create whole customer journeys (although this may work well for certain cases like theme parks). When it comes to end-to-end tourism experiences, travelers still seem prefer the “real thing.”

Preparing for the future of travel

How can travel companies leverage the metaverse to create more compelling experiences for their customers? Certain challenges must be overcome: these include enabling interoperability between decentralized worlds, protecting data security, and making immersive devices more readily available.

However, it’s prudent for travel players to think proactively about engaging with the metaverse—and perhaps seize a first-mover’s advantage. Early control will help to sidestep thorny issues like third parties claiming virtual rights to a location.

Once travel players have plotted out potential traveler journeys (whether hybrid or fully digital), they can find the right collaborators to bring these experiences to life—such as virtual-universe and retail platforms, communications channels, and designers. As many tech players are still only starting to come to grips with immersive experiences, companies may be able to secure favorable partnership agreements and experiment with different executions.

Four steps for travel players contemplating the metaverse

Step 1: Create a strategy based on individual traveler touchpoints to be disrupted. Develop offers targeted at travelers of the future, considering demographic groups, travel purpose and likely journeys. Imagining specific future touchpoint needs and desires and how these can be satisfied or enhanced in a virtual world will ensure a targeted strategy.

Step 2: Identify the platform you want to play on. There are several options here, depending on factors like the strength of your brand and how much independence you require. With a very strong brand, you might be in a position to create your own platform. If your brand is less widely recognized—as with most tourism destinations—or the advantages of a dedicated platform are not clear, then it might be unwise to go it alone. It may be possible to integrate your experience with another organization’s platform, with the added benefit that their established users can stumble across your product. Or partner with an existing platform, as Saudi Arabia’s RCU have done with browser-based platform Decentraland and Korean tourism with the ZEPETO app.

Step 3: Choose the right talent. Developing any offer will likely require new skills—not just to make your immersive world look good, but to ensure that it’s smooth and exhilarating to use. Excellent “game mechanics” motivate users to come back repeatedly for new experiences. In turn, this requires constant maintenance, operation and innovation, as with any great tourist attraction. Talent for these tasks can be either recruited or outsourced. Hiring a new, dedicated workforce might make sense for a large service that requires intensive modification and security monitoring. For simpler or once-off offerings developed to test the waters, outsourcing will ensure a smoother, faster process.

Step 4: Understand the agreement you have with your partner. Be sure to clarify safeguards related to IP and other potential challenges. Also ensure that virtual experiences cohere with your existing brand identity, as well as the values and cultural context of heritage assets.

The metaverse promises to shake up many sectors of the global economy. Virtual experiences have huge potential for the tourism and travel industries, with the prospect of hybrid and fully immersive digital destinations. But our research indicates that opportunities may, for now, be limited to a few key touchpoints—most prominently, travel inspiration, events, and edutainment. It may take longer for the metaverse to reveal its utility for end-to-end travel experiences, if it ever does.

Nonetheless, there are undeniably travel touchpoints where metaverse integration feels inevitable, profitable and “no regret.” Players in the sector would do well to start planning their metaverse strategy now, focusing on specific touchpoints and destinations, while this rapidly developing arena matures.

Margaux Constantin is a partner in McKinsey’s Dubai office, where Kashiff Munawar is an expert associate partner; Giuseppe Genovese is a consultant in the Dallas office; and Rebecca Stone is a consultant in New York City.

The authors wish to thank Samvit Kanoria, Hamza Khan, and Kevin Neher for their contributions to this article.

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Virtual reality tourism is accessible, inclusive and takes the risk out of a COVID-disrupted getaway

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt many Australians' travel plans, some of those looking for a risk-free escape are turning to virtual reality tourism.

And while it may sound like a downgrade from the real thing, tour guides and designers of these experiences say it's becoming increasingly sophisticated.

But what is virtual reality tourism?  Dr Ryan Yung, a travel and tourism researcher, defines it as the ability to "be physically in one location but your mind is in a different location."

It can now be accessed by anyone who has a PC, laptop or mobile phone through YouTube or via virtual tours online.

And the experience can be enhanced by using a fold-out Google Cardboard viewer or, for those willing to spend more money, technologically advanced virtual reality headsets.

Unique experiences

So is virtual tourism any substitute for the real thing? 

It's hard to compare the two but virtual tourism does have some unique benefits, Dr Yung tells ABC RN Breakfast.

"Some of the more popular attractions in virtual tourism [eventually] will be … places which would be physically impossible to visit," he says.

"If we wanted to visit Rome, for example, in the medieval times, it's possible to do so via virtual tourism."

Some virtual experiences are also trying to integrate sensory elements, although Dr Yung says there's still much more work to be done in this area.

"With smells, they use pods, which emit synthetic smells ... similar to what you'd find in a shopping mall, when you walk past a cookie stand or something with artificial smells ." 

"With taste at the moment, there is no real substitute, but I believe some researchers in Singapore have come up with a technology where they can trick your mind through smell.

"This is where you're drinking mineral water but, through the trick of colour and smell, you can basically fool the mind into thinking [the person is] tasting something."

New opportunities

Virtual tourism could open up destinations for those who couldn't access them otherwise. 

"A lot of the technology that's behind it [came in] years before COVID hit, and it was to overcome a lot of issues with barriers with accessibility and inclusivity," Dr Yung says.

"So people who were not mobile were able to still get some experience of the outside world."

It offers other opportunities too.

For example, for those who are risk adverse, virtual tourism could be a way to take part in extreme sports safely, he says.

"[People] I've spoken to said something like … 'I would love to do something like bungee jumping but my natural fear would never let me do something like that'."

"But [with] the comfort of VR, knowing that you physically will not be doing the bungee jump but you're able to experience something like that, that could be a substitute for the real experience.

"I've heard people say they want to see the Great Barrier Reef, but they are so afraid of water … so that could be [an opportunity] in the near term."

Virtual reality can also be used to travel freely without any risk of social or cultural stigmas, he adds.

"There are certain behaviours [that] certain cultures expect of us when we travel overseas, or when we're out in public. And when we are hidden deep behind this virtual lens, then [virtual tourists] are able to explore different mannerisms or cultures that you normally wouldn't be able to," he says.

So for those looking to scratch their travel itch, virtual tourism is opening up the world once again, says Dr Yung.

"This is one small positive that has come up with COVID in alerting research and development [and encouraging the] acceptance of the technology by everyone else."

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How virtual tourism can rebuild travel for a post-pandemic world

The Faroe Islands is just one destination using new technologies to create a virtual tourism experience Image:  Knud Erik Vinding/Pixabay

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Stay up to date:, travel and tourism.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the travel and tourism industries;
• Businesses in this sector must build infrastructure and practices that allow people to travel safely in a post-pandemic world and support local communities that benefit from tourism;
• Augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies can offer alternative ways to travel the world and an exciting new model for the industry.

The tourism industry has hit a nadir owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will continue to feel the effects for at least the first three quarters of 2021 – according to a recent UN report , tourist arrivals globally in January 2021 were down 87% when compared to January 2020.

Travel will prevail over post-pandemic anxiety, making it incumbent on the aviation and tourism industry to build safer infrastructure and practices that take care of travellers’ well being.

Have you read?

International tourism is set to plunge by 80% this year – but some regions could recover more quickly, how global tourism can become more sustainable, inclusive and resilient, virtual reality adds to tourism through touch, smell and real people’s experiences.

After a year thwarted by the pandemic and with the future not looking too upbeat for the industry at this juncture, tourism business owners should look at alternative modes of interaction for holidaymakers that can also aid the people and economies who depend on tourism.

The COVID-19 pandemic has noticeably hastened the testing and rollout of forward-looking technologies. Technology has not only enabled citizens globally to interact with loved ones, but also helped industries such as healthcare, information technology, education and many more to work remotely.

In the last few decades, technology has helped travel and tourism industries increase their reach through travel booking websites, videos, blogs and travel photography. Digital tools and content are a vital source of information for vacationists organizing their next holiday or creating a destination wish list. Whilst remote or virtual tourism has been a futuristic theme within industry forums for some time, the world today, shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, might now be ready to accept it.

A human-centric design that draws insights from cognitive behaviour, social psychology, neuroscience and behavioural economics applied with cutting edge technologies such as augmented, virtual or mixed reality (AR, VR, MR) could be a game-changer. AR, VR and MR can enable a seamless, uninterrupted interactive experience for viewers from their own private space. The design principles will create a frictionless digital user experience and construct a positive perception of a tourist destination.

There have been previous attempts to achieve this feat: if you are an aqua sightseer, you might be aware of a documentary exploring the Great Barrier Reef . Through an interactive website, one can view the clear, tranquil currents of the Pacific Ocean and the biodiversity of the reef, and experience the sounds of a healthy coral reef. Another much-discussed VR experience is Mission 828 which allows you to take a virtual parachute jump from the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Official Tourist Board of the Faroe Islands has also crafted a virtual experience to entice post-pandemic visitors from across the world.

Imagine a human-centric designed, interactive space online that makes a destination accessible and so real for a sightseer with sound captured by electro-acoustics researchers. You could view holiday sites in a video or through self-navigation using voice or joystick controls, interact with people using video-calling platforms, travel through the streets of said location, eavesdrop on local music and much more. This could be stitched together in a single platform individually or in silos on the internet and further enhanced by setting up physical experience tourism centres locally. Such a setup would allow tourist guides, artisans, craftspeople, hoteliers and transport business to create their own digital and virtual offerings and interact with possible customers.

Here’s how it might look: a vacationer starts their experience from the time their flight commences. The plane descends to the destination runway and pictures of the vicinity from the aircraft window pane are captured. The airport signage welcomes passengers and directs them to a pre-booked taxi. The vacationer gets to choose their first destination and travels through the streets in a chauffeur-driven car whose interactions en route become part of their cherished memories. On arrival, a tourist guide walks you through the destination all controlled with just a tap on your gadget. During the sightseeing, you hear random people speaking, posing for photographs and more. You take a photo to post on social media, go shopping and negotiate with a local vendor to purchase an artwork and get it delivered to your door. You learn how a local dish is prepared and get familiar with local customs.

A virtual platform could even provide an opportunity for people to explore areas that are affected by or fighting terrorism. For example, imagine seeing the diverse wildlife and snow leopard of the Gurez Valley, in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It doesn’t stop there: if thought through, one could experience travelling to the South Pole, space and beyond. It could also serve as a learning portal for students to understand geographies, culture, art and history.

With technology improving lives globally, virtual tourism could reignite the tourism industry and its people and help build a more sustainable economic model. As a human-centric platform, it can establish local tourist guides, artisans and others as global citizens in the tourism industry.

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The Rise of Virtual Reality Tourism/Digitization of Culture in the Time of COVID-19

Flights canceled, famous attractions closed to the public, once crowded streets now vacant— emptied of tourists snapping photos. In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional tourism has ground to a screeching halt in most places. Tourism has had to evolve to match the unprecedented and prolonged global travel restrictions, a situation that has made a profound impact on nations and industries around the globe. It has been indicated that the global tourism sector should expect to suffer a drop of about US$8.1 trillion in revenue due to the pandemic and will likely not recover until 2024. With many of their most popular landmarks, cities, and heritage sites closing or implementing restrictions, countries have had to radically rethink their tourism industries and cultural institutions have had to adapt to a time of reduced visitors and in-person engagement. The intersection of innovation with the need to digitize experiences and content in order to reduce human interaction have converged uniquely in 2020, marking a critical moment in the rise of virtual reality tourism and the digitization of culture.

Virtual reality tourism technologies have been evolving for the past few years, used primarily as an educational tool, allowing users to engage with the history, geography, and cultural aspects of location and serving as a substitute for physical visitation. It incorporates cutting edge technologies, such as high resolution 360- degree imaging and simulated movement capabilities to enable users to view, tour, and engage with landmarks and tourist destinations without leaving their homes. Museums, cultural sites, and locations of worldwide-renown can be explored on personal computers and tablets. One such site, the Seokguram Grotto hermitage and monastery complex in South Korea, utilized VR technology to construct a 3D stereopsis of the site and provide a digitized experience for visitors. The COVID-19 pandemic has created an additional opportunity for virtual tourism to provide travel-related content accessible around the world and explore the additional benefits of VR technology.

Many governments have been crafting virtual tours in hopes of attracting viewers who wish to visit cities around the world without the current risks of travel: exposure to the virus, or the logistical complications of widespread, pandemic-related bans and restrictions. Cities such as Paris, which attracted 38 million tourists in 2019 alone, have adopted virtual technology to continue to showcase iconic landmarks, by using the interactive features of Google Arts and Culture: users can select sites of interest and navigate the landscapes by clicking their way from one vantage point to another. The Paris Tourist Board website, for example, also allows users to view landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Palais Garnier. Because of the 2020 Olympics’ postponement, the Japan National Tourism Organization created a 360-degree virtual tour that can be viewed via smartphone or with VR goggles, Japan: Where Tradition Meets the Future , which virtually transports users to well-known landmarks including the Tokyo Tower and the Sagano Bamboo Forest, blending culture and technology in an innovative and engaging way. Smaller towns that are less tourist-dependent are also hoping to retain exposure and relevance by creating virtual representations of their architecture. This way people can continue to experience the landscapes and perhaps become inspired to travel to the destination post-pandemic. Germany’s Herrenberg is one such town; they created a “virtual twin” utilizing computerized technologies usually used for high-level aerospace tasks to replicate the town’s architecture on a digital platform, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in the sites of the town center via VR glasses.

Digitization of Culture

Outdoor landmarks and city streets are not the only places that can now be enjoyed virtually as people hunker down in their homes. Cultural institutions, particularly museums, which face  a severe reduction in the number of visitors strolling through galleries and perusing collections due to pandemic-related restrictions, have also started to adapt and modernize to continue to attract attention and virtual visitors. An empirical study of 100 of the largest state museums in Italy revealed that, throughout the most restrictive period of national lockdown, there was a sharp increase in online cultural initiatives conducted by museums via social media in order to continue stimulating viewer engagement through digital material. In this way, social media platforms—such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter—have been an invaluable tool in promoting cultural engagement during the COVID-19 crisis.

Besides simply engaging people in museum content, social media and digital platforms have also connected people during this time of limited social interaction. The Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, for example, organized unique, virtual community events including the ArtYouReady virtual flash mob, an initiative that encouraged online users to post pictures of their favorite Italian cultural sites. Such virtual opportunities and initiatives have continued throughout the pandemic, likely remaining a staple for cultural organizations’ public engagement strategies.

The evolution of digital engagement at museums in Europe was highlighted in a post written by Chiarra Zuanni, assistant professor in digital humanities at the Centre for Information Modelling at the University of Graz, for Europeana, a European organization that works to support and empower the digitization of cultural heritage. Zuanni compiled a map to visually depict the evolving digital activities of museums throughout Europe. The map identified various categories of digital offerings, such as contemporary collecting projects, social media initiatives (local hashtags, targeted projects, etc.), streaming content, virtual tours, online exhibitions, games, and educational content. The map enables users to select locations or activities of interest and access direct links to the respective museum’s interactive sites. The map shows a widespread rise in online activity from museums across the continent, providing a look into just a small fraction of museums that are adopting modernized and digitized tactics to maintain and foster relationships with a global audience in a time when in-person interactions and the usual flow of tourists have been severely curbed.

COVID-19 has caused museums’, galleries’, and historic residences’ usage of digital technology to transition from being a mere supplementary tool used to offer additional and secondary services and content to being the primary source of continued engagement with the arts. The pandemic has created the unique opportunity for museums to radically redefine their marketing and content strategies, forcing traditionally archaic institutions to adapt to the modern world at a rapid speed.

New Opportunities to Explore

Is this the future? Are the days strolling through cobblestone streets, snapping photos at iconic landmarks and wandering through bustling art galleries simply experiences of the past? Not necessarily. When the pandemic subsides and the world reawakens from lockdowns, restrictions, and travel bans, travel will likely resume. While it may take years for the industry to fully recover, tourism will eventually reemerge as a prominent economic sector. Cultural institutions will reopen, welcoming visitors from around the world to engage with history and art once more.

Yet, although the COVID-19 pandemic devastated numerous economic sectors and rendered several aspects of daily life and travel unrecognizable, it has also unlocked the enhanced opportunity for countries and organizations to harness the full potential of virtual reality tourism. Museum attendance across several countries, particularly attendance at art museums,  has been in decline in recent years. Virtual offerings however, seem to be driving significant user interest due to the increase in virtual engagement with cultural and artistic content on cultural websites. The increased adoption of technology could help prevent museums from buckling under the weight of low visitor rates if they can identify ways to accrue revenue through digital means.

In the same vein, the COVID-19 epidemic and subsequent lockdown have prompted countries to rethink their tourism strategies, opening the door for an already burgeoning virtual tourism industry to take root. Easily accessible for users around the world, providing access to landmarks and locations that are currently restricted, and free or low in cost for users, virtual tours allow for global experiences to be enjoyed by large, international audiences. While not a replacement for the thrill of physical travel, the virtual tourism sector offers intriguing opportunities for accessible global experiences.

The intersection of modern, cutting-edge innovation with a global pandemic has created a pivotal moment in how we access, view, and support tourism and cultural markets, both of which are critical to developing and sustaining national economies. The use of digital technologies in light of the COVID-19 epidemic highlights the benefits of rising technological innovations, offering viable and fascinating avenues for nations to adapt to a largely unprecedented world in the years ahead.

Abby LaBreck

Abby LaBreck is an Executive Content Editor & Staff Writer for the HIR. She is interested in European affairs and transatlantic relations. She has previously written about French culture/politics.

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Telepresence robots provide virtual tourism experiences during pandemic and beyond

[The pandemic has increased the potential value of telepresence robots for tourism, with new robots and revenue models on the way. This story is from Skift , where the original includes two more images and a one minute video. –Matthew]

Robots Came For Your Jobs, Now They’re Coming for Your Vacations: Here’s How

Sean O’Neill, Skift August 28, 2020

SKIFT TAKE: Are there really enough people who want to remote-control a robot and visit places virtually? We’re skeptical. But the founder of the startup Propelmee is surprisingly persuasive at the potential uses for such robots. — Sean O’Neill

The robots were already coming for your jobs. Now they’re coming for your vacations, too. Robot maker Propelmee will begin testing in mid-September at several UK attractions a virtual tourism robot called Challau .

People anywhere in the world can remotely control the robot, which looks like a Segway, via a simple, browser-based interface on their computer or smartphone.

“After you click a button, you’ll see and hear what the robot’s cameras and microphones are broadcasting live,” said Zain Khawaja, founder and CEO of Propelmee. “If there’s something you want to look at more closely, you can direct the robot to move forward, pause, or turn around. It’s the real-time kinetic control that makes it much more dream-like and compelling than a live-streamed camera shot.”

Propelmee, based in Milton Keynes, UK, hasn’t disclosed yet which UK sites have agreed to participate but said the beta tests would be at outdoor attractions like zoos, castles, and arboretums.

Skeptics have scoffed at the notion of virtual vacations as poor imitations of real-life travel. And virtual vacations have been a minuscule business to date. But previous attempts at tele-presence tourism have lacked remote control.

“Google Street View, for example, is just a stitched-together set of 360-degree camera photos,” Khawaja said. “You can only hop from one fixed position to another, and it’s not live.”

Propelmee will offer free access to Challau online during its test phase this fall. But the plan for the commercial launch is to charge small fees for the tours. The startup will partly split the fees with the attraction operators as alternatives to ticket revenue.

“Some tourist sites are eager for customers because of the pandemic,” Khawaja said. “They’ll promote Challau via their channels, and we’ll learn some lessons from how those virtual visitors use it. That will make the platform better and more varied, which will hopefully attract more tourist sites to try it.”

IMAGINE THE NEW TRAVEL SERVICES

One can imagine several uses for remote-control robots like Challau.

A major museum could use its after-hours quiet to offer tours to people elsewhere in the world who live in different time zones. Challau uses a mix of sensors and software so that it has an invisible fence around it, preventing any user from trying to use it to do damage such as by driving it into a wall, Khawaja said. So the tours could happen without human intervention overnight.

Cash-starved schools might replace long-distance, group trips to major landmarks with virtual ones done via a robot, where control can be shared between a teacher and students.

“We’ve thought about the potential of a franchise model where someone may have a lot of localized expertise about a location, like a bazaar in Turkey, and they can take custody of the robot and do a specialist experience as part of a virtual tour,” Khawaja said.

Millions of people living with disabilities and seeking accessible travel might be able to explore parts of the world they had only seen before in videos.

Nursing homes and assisted living centers could have a new activity of exploring areas remotely in virtual group outings.

“Even when I talk to my grandparents who live far from London [they] say they would be excited to virtually tour Buckingham Palace or virtually walk in the park around it,” Khawaja said.

Someday travel agents may be able to use a robot tour as a way to persuade a couple to book a real-life trip.

“Traditionally, people in some parts of the world have seldom traveled to places like London or Paris because of the financial strain,” Khawaja said.

“That’s an altogether untapped market, and it works conversely, where middle-class Westerners might be reluctant to go to parts of the world they consider exotic because they worry about language barriers or other factors,” Khawaja said. “The virtual tour might help persuade people to make the real trip.”

Event planners choosing among different resorts for lavish destinations might also take advantage of each property’s virtual robot to take guided tours of a space and help narrow down their list of preferred venues.

ROBOT AVATARS FOR TRAVELERS

It’s not the only effort of its kind. In April, Japanese airline ANA spun out a startup Avatarin that’s working to develop tele-presence robots, which look like electric scooters with tablet screens on top for video chatting. ANA gave $1.8 million in funding for the project, started by employees.

Avatarin’s robots display a tourist’s face and voice and enable two-way interaction with a local.

Looking ahead, UK company Autoura is perfecting Sahra , a sightseeing robot as part of an array of autonomous vehicle sightseeing and experiences tech.

Propelmee has been building autonomous robots since 2017. But it only recently turned its attention to tourism. Innovate UK and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. have bestowed grants.

Stay-at-home restrictions have prompted some creativity with variations on virtual tourism, with many tours-and-activities operators and resellers launching online experiences . For example, Chinese online travel agency Fliggy has partnered with several major European and U.S. art museums to offer livestreamed tours .

But travelers are seldom in control of their experience in these offerings, even with ones delivered by pre-recorded virtual reality and panoramic video .

For more context on virtual tourism, read our story “ Pandemic May Revive Fortunes of Virtual Reality and 360-Degree Travel Content in a Few Niches .”

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Cultural tourist and user experience with artificial intelligence: a holistic perspective from the Industry 5.0 approach

Journal of Tourism Futures

ISSN : 2055-5911

Article publication date: 6 December 2022

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the future of the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in services experience provided by cultural institutions (e.g. museums, exhibition halls and cultural centres) from experts’, cultural tourists’ and users’ point of view under the Industry 5.0 approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, which was based on the analysis of the contents obtained from two roundtable discussions with experts and cultural tourists and users. A thematic analysis using NVivo was done to the data obtained.

From a futuristic Industry 5.0 approach, AI is considered to be more than a tool – it as an integral part of the entire experience. AI aids in connecting cultural institutions with users and is beneficial since it allows the institutions to get to know the users better and provide a more integrated and immersive experience. Furthermore, AI is critical in establishing a community and nurturing it daily.

Originality/value

The most important contribution of this research is the theoretical model focused on the user experience and AI application in services experiences of museums and cultural institutions from an Industry 5.0 approach. This model includes the visitors’ and managers’ points of view through the following dimensions: the pre-experience, experience and post-experience. This model is focused on human–AI coworking (HAIC) in museums and cultural institutions.

• Artificial intelligence
• Industry 5.0
• User service experiences
• Cultural institutions
• Cultural tourist
• User experience

Orea-Giner, A. , Muñoz-Mazón, A. , Villacé-Molinero, T. and Fuentes-Moraleda, L. (2022), "Cultural tourist and user experience with artificial intelligence: a holistic perspective from the Industry 5.0 approach", Journal of Tourism Futures , Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-04-2022-0115

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Alicia Orea-Giner, Ana Muñoz-Mazón, Teresa Villacé-Molinero and Laura Fuentes-Moraleda

Published in Journal of Tourism Futures . Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

1. Introduction

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the service sector has been linked to what is known as Industry 4.0. However, future conditions contemplate the establishment and development of Industry 5.0. Industry 5.0 is not a simple chronological continuation or alternative to Industry 4.0 paradigm ( Carayannis and Morawska-Jancelewicz, 2022 ). Considered as the next industrial revolution, Industry 5.0 takes advantage of the creativity of human beings in collaboration with efficient, intelligent and precise machines to obtain efficient resources and solutions adapted to the user ( Maddikunta et al. , 2021 ). According to Maddikunta et al. (2021) , Industry 5.0 adds value through innovative additive manufacturing, predictive maintenance, hyper customisation and cyber-physical, cognitive systems. It facilitates robots and skilled individuals to work together to produce customised services.

The services sector has gradually adopted Industry 4.0 tools, as well as technologies such as robots, AI and service automation ( Ruel and Njoku, 2020 ; Samala et al. , 2020 ). However, services sector requires taking a step further towards Industry 5.0 tools ( Calero-Sanz et al. , 2022 ). Cultural institutions (e.g. museums, exhibition halls and cultural centres) fulfil a relevant role in many different fields (e.g. education, exhibition, protection, conservation, tourism and research). These institutions are embracing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to co-create and provide services that respond better to customer preferences in the experience society ( Hanafiah and Zulkifly, 2019 ; Marasco et al. , 2018 ) and to attract tourists as well as young users ( Bonacini and Giaccone, 2021 ; Hausmann and Schuhbauer, 2021 ). However, cultural institutions need to thoroughly analyse all their data sources and implement AI to improve their decision-making processes in the future, focused on Industry 5.0 ( Huang and Jia, 2022 ).

The literature review reveals that no study has investigated visitors’ and managers’ perceptions of AI applications in museums and cultural organisations from the 5.0 perspective. Recent research approaches AI implementation in cultural organisations (museums) from the users’ perspectives and a quantitative prism ( Webster and Ivanov, 2022 ; Fuentes-Moraleda et al. , 2021 ). Industry 5.0 is a new concept, and there is little literature around it. It has been gaining attention recently among the research community. Nevertheless, research under the 5.0 paradigm mainly focuses on the manufacturing landscape, considering Industry 5.0 around introducing a human-robot co-working environment and creating a smart society ( Akundi et al. , 2022 ). In addition, although robots and other AI technologies have been used in museums and cultural institutions for more than a decade ( Polishuk et al. , 2011 ), the potential of these technologies to create collaborative experiences remains unexplored. They can generate collaborative experiences – not mere interactions – which would facilitate the customisation of the technology’s functionality and its adaptation to specific needs. Besides, AI plays a strategic role in influencing users’ experience in art galleries and museums ( Singh and Atta, 2021 ). To fill these gaps, and due to the topic’s relevance, this study aims to analyse the future implementation of AI technologies in services experience provided by cultural institutions from experts’, cultural tourists’ and users’ points of view under the Industry 5.0 approach.

The research focuses on Spain for several reasons. Spain is one of the most visited tourist destinations worldwide. Official statistics from Culture Ministry (2021) indicates that 10% of the total trips made by residents in 2020 for leisure, recreation or vacations were initiated mainly for cultural reasons. International tourists’ trips reached 21.2% with cultural motivations. Altogether, the culture mobilised more than 8 million trips in 2020, with an associated expenditure of more than 5,000 million euros, figures close to 50% of the year pre-pandemic (2019). These data show that cultural institutions welcome tourism money, but they typically hesitate to present themselves as tourist attractions or pander to tourist tastes ( Richards, 2019 ). Additionally, besides their economic impact, cultural institutions also influence the image of destinations in ways that can affect tourism and local inhabitants ( Cristobal-Fransi et al. , 2021 ). This paper provides a holistic analysis of the application of AI in enhancing the service experience from both the users’ and experts’ perspectives.

To this end, a qualitative approach has been used for a deeper understanding of the experience of the cultural tourist as a user of cultural institutions. This is because it allows us to analyse much more than the experience of the visitor, who accesses the institution but does not receive a direct emotional link to it. The visitor does not visit cultural institutions as a passer-by ( Falk and Dierking, 2016 ). However, the user identifies with the cultural institution and wants to be part of it by being involved in the whole process. It is also essential to involve managers and staff of cultural institutions in this process ( Ferreiro-Rosende et al. , 2022 ).

2. Theoretical framework

2.1 cultural tourism and the role of experience-based technological innovation in cultural institutions.

Previous research has shown that AI may assist tourism businesses increase their efficiency, output and profitability (Yu et al. , 2020; Samara et al. , 2020 ). Culture has served as a tool for preserving identity as well as a method of social and economic growth under the canopy of resources provided by cities ( Richards, 2018 ). Cultural tourists present an interest to engage in activities that satisfy their interest in art, architecture and history, with a special interest in satisfying their quest for self-realisation and self-discovery ( Niemczyk, 2014 ). Consequently, cultural tourists are interested in one of the most important aspects of AI application on tourism that is offering a personalised, convenient and rich experience ( Gasteiger et al. , 2021 ).

As stated by previous studies ( Armbrecht, 2014 ; Orea-Giner et al. , 2021a ), museums have economic, social and environmental implications in addition to encouraging cultural tourists. Although there are great cultural institutions and museums of international importance that may be considered innovative organisations, museums and exhibition halls, as cultural institutions, are usually considered non-innovative ( Camarero et al. , 2015 ; Capriotti, 2010 ; García-Muiña et al. , 2019 ). One of the main reasons for this is their size: most museums and exhibition halls in large cities are small or medium-sized ( Capriotti, 2010 ); another reason is their public ownership ( Hughes and Luksetich, 2004 ; Kirchner et al. , 2007 ).

Due to a push from the tourism sector, cultural tourism is generating changes in the adoption of AI tools considering that these technologies offer the ability to increase access to cultural institutions while also disseminating information about them ( Solima and Izzo, 2018 ).

Museums and cultural institutions have implemented chatbots or computer programmes designed to simulate conversation with human users ( Clarizia et al. , 2018 ). However, most of these chatbots do not provide a human-like conversation. They do not provide the complete knowledge requested by visitors ( Varitimiadis et al. , 2021 ) during all phases of the visit. Varitimiadis et al. (2021) classifies chatbots into: informative chatbots (infobots), chatbots with predefined conversation paths, gamification and reward chatbots, conversational chatbots and (5) advanced conversational chatbots, where users can freely ask almost anything without following any rules or routes predefined.

In the past three decades, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have primarily been evolving entertainment ( Majd and Safabakhsh, 2017 ). While VR and AR share similar technologies, such as various tracking sensors and displays, they represent two different approaches to blending the physical and virtual world realities ( Scavarelli et al. , 2021 ). Museums and cultural institutions use VR/AR technologies to naturally engage with visitors in public while also fulfilling the mandates of imparting cultural heritage knowledge ( Scavarelli et al. , 2021 ).

Social robots have been deployed in museums and cultural institutions settings. Social robots are categorised as robots with social capabilities that can interact and assist humans naturally ( Gasteiger et al. , 2021 ). According to Gasteriger et al. (2021) results, positive perceptions of the museum robots are evident, highlighting that museums could be an appropriate setting for further development and implementation of a social robot. Using these robots has several advantages, such as the availability of a robot ( Belanche et al. , 2019 ), the potential advantage of alleviating language barriers as opposed to the limited language skills of the staff ( Ivanov et al. , 2018a , b ) or the possibility of co-creating service experiences together ( Kuo et al. , 2017 ). More often, it is observed that these robots operate side by side with human personnel. The combined presence of human staff and service robots further indicates that service robots are gradually playing a more decisive role in customer–enterprise interactions and are becoming an integral part of the service delivery system ( Park, 2020 ). From the Industry 5.0 approach, it is essential to consider the users’ emotions and sentiments when interacting with robots to avoid negative experiences ( Orea-Giner et al. , 2022 ).

Because of the importance of analysing visitors’ experiences through big data, machine learning is applied for visitation pattern prediction and experience evaluation ( Calero-Sanz et al. , 2022 ). The application of AI to analyse and visualise these data brings an opportunity for museums and cultural institutions to understand their audiences better and create personalised and engaging experiences ( French and Villaespesa, 2019 ). The use of technology in cultural tourism enables the tracking and analysis of tourist expectations and satisfaction levels, as well as the development of new and alternative financing sources ( Di Pietro et al. , 2018 ). The combination of AI technologies can facilitate a new form of interaction called human–AI coworking (HAIC). In HAIC, field collaborative AI applications (designed to operate cooperatively rather than substitute humans) can improve human efficiency and simplify processes ( Maddikunta et al. , 2021 ). In this way, the collaboration between users and AI allows for the creation of value-added services and improvement in decision-making and offers a personalised experience to cultural tourist users. This HAIC can be considered a characteristic of Industry 5.0 ( Demir et al. , 2019 ): robots and humans working together whenever and wherever possible.

2.2 Dimensions of user–AI interactions in cultural institutions

The functional dimension refers to the ease of use of technology and its usefulness and the adoption of social norms. Schepers and Wetzels (2007) say that there is a significant influence of subjective norm on the perceived usefulness and the behavioural intention to use. When cultural institutions consider AI-supported solutions in operational contexts, the value proposition continues to be unclear for many due to upfront resource investments and subsequent opportunity costs ( French and Villaespesa, 2019 ). Nevertheless, understanding the drivers behind user attendance to cultural venues like museums and how to increase these numbers is important to museum and other cultural institutions’ managers ( Yap et al. , 2020 ).

The contact dimension is based on the proposal from Van Doorn et al. (2017) , about the “automated social presence” in services which refers to the extent to which machines (e.g. robots) make users feel that they are in the company of another social entity. Social presence has been shown to affect trust-building since individuals are more likely to develop trust in another person when they meet personally. It can be assumed that social presence or the feeling that “someone is taking care” affects acceptance and consequently has an influence on customer behaviour ( Wirtz et al. , 2018 ).

The co-experience dimension describes experiences regarding how individuals develop their personal experience based on their social interaction with others. The experience of visiting museums and cultural institutions can be enhanced with the application of AI to collaborate on their own experience by interacting with these tools. The USUS model ( Weiss et al. , 2009 ) introduces the co-experience indicator within the context of user experience. For some services, the acceptance of AI applications will depend on the extent to which technologies can fulfil consumers’ need for rapport ( Wirtz et al. , 2018 ), co-creation ( Tung and Au, 2018 ) or conversation ( Bickmore et al. , 2013 ) that increases engagement and thus results in greater user satisfaction ( Kim et al. , 2015 ).

From these bases, this paper proposes a conceptual framework that considers the three main identified dimensions ( Figure 1 ). This framework will be used in the empirical study that is presented in the method section. From Figure 1 , it can be observed that the co-experience dimension plays a central role in the interactions between AI applications and users because it constitutes the main source for the experience. The conceptual framework also considers the double perspective of production and experience domains along the three dimensions identified. Because all the dimensions are closely linked, collective management is the only way to create an innovation-based sustained competitive advantage.

3.1 Design of the research and approach

The study adopts a deductive approach ( Bingham and Witkowsky, 2021 ), starting from the literature review and previously presented conceptual framework ( Figure 1 ). This approach is based on qualitative methods allowing to examine two roundtable discussions ( Zheng et al. , 2020 ; Orea-Giner et al. , 2021b ; Damian et al. , 2021 ). The objective is to identify the potential and the challenges to the usage of AI applications in cultural institutions from the perspective of cultural institution experts and cultural tourists.

3.2 Roundtable discussions’ guide and organisation

The roundtable guide considered previous studies, and it was divided into three blocks: (1) the functionality of AI ( Pinillos et al. , 2016 ; Wu and Cheng, 2018 ; Wirtz et al. , 2018 ; Ivanov et al. , 2018; Tussyadiah and Park, 2018 ; Ivanov et al. , 2019 ; Li et al. , 2021 ), (2) the contact of AI with users ( Primawati, 2018 ; Tussyadiah and Park, 2018 ; Gaia et al. , 2019 ; Fuentes-Moraleda et al. , 2021 ) and (3) the co-experience dimension of AI ( Heerink et al. , 2010 ; Van Doorn et al. , 2017 ; Stock and Merkle, 2018 ).

The roundtable discussions were held on 11 November 2021, with an average length of each session of 105 min. Each roundtable discussion was conducted by a moderator. Due to health restrictions, the roundtable discussions were conducted in a mix format, combining the physical presence of participants and the online participation of some of them. Both roundtable discussions were done in Spanish, and Microsoft Teams was used for recording and connecting with online participants. Previously, this approach was regarded as a reliable and viable way for doing qualitative research ( Cachia and Millward, 2011 ; Fuentes-Moraleda et al. , 2021 ). The roundtable discussions were videotaped with the participants’ permission.

3.3 Participants

The two roundtables’ participants were (1) professionals from cultural institutions (2) and participants who engage in cultural tourism activities and visit cultural institutions during their holidays and daily life. For the first roundtable discussion, the participants were chosen through purposeful sampling based on their expertise ( Patton, 1990 ) linked to cultural institutions’ management or technology enterprises focused on the cultural institutions’ solutions.

According to previous research, each study has its own set of traits and criteria, making it impossible to establish a standard sample size for this approach ( Hennik et al. , 2019 ). Based on the data and orientations supplied ( Hennik et al. , 2019 ), our study comprised 6 different participants in each roundtable discussion. These participants were chosen so that there was an equal number of each gender and that their profiles were similar.

The first roundtable discussion includes professionals from cultural institutions with previous AI experiences. The researchers made a list of professionals working in or for cultural institutions and connected with technology aspects (marketing, communication, cultural management, AI development, etc.). This list contained 18 names from different institutions. These professionals were contacted, and, finally, 6 participants participated ( Table 1 ).

The second roundtable discussion was focused on the cultural institutions’ users selected on the basis of their background in visiting cultural institutions and museums, as well as their interest in cultural activities during their travels. All participants must have previous experiences with AI. In this way, it is possible to get a broader view on their contact with technology and the needs of the cultural tourist as a user of cultural institutions and not only as a visitor ( Table 2 ). This group can be divided into the following categories: Generation Z, Millennials, users with children and users with disabilities . The researchers used snowball sampling ( Noy, 2008 ) to find individuals from different profiles and contacted them. Initially, 22 people were contacted, and, finally, 6 individuals having previous experiences with AI accepted to participate in the roundtable discussion.

3.4 Data processing and analysis

The initial step was transcribing all the roundtable discussions. The transcription was done in Spanish (primary language utilised) using the Amberscript tool. Transcriptions were reviewed manually to ensure their accuracy.

The second phase involved manually coding and analysing the data using NVivo. A thematic analysis was done. This method allowed for the identification, dissection and announcement of subjects in the data ( Braun and Clarke, 2006 ). A search for and an identification of recurring themes in the qualitative data gathered from the roundtable discussions was done. The analysis was performed by one researcher and checked later by another one, having a 96% of coincidence. After solving the detected disagreements, the findings were organised into categories based on the framework ( Figure 1 ).

4. Results and discussion

The complementarity between the two roundtables necessitates us to present the main results in an integrative manner according to the structure of dimensions that shape the framework employed: (1) functional dimension, (2) contact dimension, (3) co-experience dimension. Participants’ comments from the roundtable composed of experts and cultural tourists and users are codified using “RTD1Pi” and “RTD2Pj”, respectively.

4.1 Functional dimension

In some museums that have installed smart speakers […] Then the user would arrive, the voice assistant would speak and there would be a dialogue about the work with the speaker [ …]. You were talking to a speaker, and it was giving you information that you were specifying in a conversation [ …]. (RTD1P2)

Talking about robotics, […] when you want to introduce an element into, for example, a workshop, the prices are very high, or you must go for simpler robots that allow you to do fewer things in order to have a reasonable cost. […] Another handicap that I think has already been mentioned with robotics is what happens when we have very large flows of visitors, which is one of the hallmarks of our identity. (RTD1P5)

The robot is an object that is part of the museum, in addition to the visit you are making. So, I mean that the secret is to integrate it well. The user’s experience is a fluid experience, where that element links directly. It is not something forced that you want to put in, but something that forms part of that experience. (RTD1P3)

I would like a lot as a user the possibility […] of making a selection of the work I want to visit so I can get information about it and get a more personalised tour and be able to take advantage of the time I want to invest. (RTD2P7)

Once you get to the museum, it’s true that I don’t know of any museum that has an accessible itinerary to be able to move from the entrance of the museum, to know where you enter and maybe get to a specific floor [ …]. I understand that not all the resources are going to be accessible. (RTD2P14)

I work in digital marketing, and I also miss a lot on the websites of the museums themselves. It would be interesting if there were chatbots through which I could make quick and immediate enquiries. (RTD2P12)

You don’t really need to download an application nowadays either. Web applications work in the good old-fashioned way that you go to a website and are fully interactive and have all the possibilities that you really need in an app nowadays. (RTD2P13)

I wouldn’t trust technology one hundred percent especially depending on the information it gives. And regarding what is in a museum, maybe if it’s about the life of an artist, of course, I’m going to trust what they tell me. (RTD2P14)

4.2 Contact dimension

It fascinates me when you see those videos on YouTube … of a child, the one-and-a-half-year-old girl who still can’t read […] How is she going to face a painting when she’s 18? (RTD1P3)

I think a humanoid robot would be very off-putting to me and I think it also takes the attention away from the museum. I think it’s not something that people are used to seeing, so I think in a museum that would be the focus of attention, and I think it’s not appropriate because the focus should be the museum itself. […]. (RTD2P13)

It is quite a sensory visit. It plays a lot with the theme of temperature and even smells, and you are given a little bracelet at the entrance to the museum. As you enter the different rooms, you pass it through a reader, and it welcomes you to the room in a personalised way. It can even give you complementary information in some areas. You can even take a photo and it automatically arrives in your mailbox. I understand that for them it is also a very big source of information […] I felt very included in the museum because they are welcoming you and I felt connected to that world. (RTD2P10)

[…] I would like to know or feel what people perceive when they are looking at that painting, what sensations you can get [ …]. For example, you could have a tablet with which you could personalise the visit, for example, with a QR code acquired when you buy the ticket, and you can navigate through the museum with this code while asking yourself, ‘What do you feel when you see this, and what do you like about it?’ Thus, ensuring that not only is the user seeing the exhibition but that you are also giving feedback while you are seeing it while receiving a result. (RTD2P9)

This contact with AI does not replace the contact with the staff of cultural institutions but is interpreted as another resource of the cultural institution for generating a satisfactory overall experience for the user ( tom Dieck et al. , 2018 ).

4.3 Co-experience dimension

It could also help us to be more involved in the life of the museum, like trying to co-create a little bit with it. [ …]. Everything as a process, […] as a tool that can be used as a tool to help us to create community. (RTD2P11)

There is a lot of technology which, based on all the extraction of this data, personalises your visit and offers one content or another based on your behaviour and your interests. If you are registered, […] it knows absolutely everything about you. […] what we need is to make that information actionable so that that digital experience is good, satisfactory and memorable. (RTD1P4)

Roundtable participants highlighted that this technology would be very useful in the future to be able to personalise their visit to cultural centres. However, at present, they have not been able to make use of it because it is not yet implemented. This collection of user data enables the application of machine learning techniques.

It is possible to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to guide the visit and also if you share your visit with other people who can interact together and change a little bit as well. (RTD2P12)

I think it can connect, just as we do with Netflix, when it gives us recommendations. […] Maybe the works you’ve visited the most, and the time you’ve invested in each one of them. If you have viewed more information about a particular type of work, that exhibition will send you an itinerary – even more additional information – afterwards. [ …]. (RTD2P12)

I am personally very reluctant to give my personal data to anyone because in the end it is shared with third parties. You are never really in control of your information. (RTD2P8)

Therefore, in the application of AI in cultural institutions, ethical and security principles must be considered when collecting data, which can be achieved through the creation of a community based on the co-experience dimension.

5. Conclusions

Cultural institutions are a type of tourist resource that can enhance the brand image of cultural destinations ( Lindsay, 2018 ) as well as to promote the arrival of tourists ( Gravari-Barbas, 2020 ). Cultural institutions are in continuous change given that their basic aim of protecting culture is going to be maintained, as the results show. However, the approach of interacting with users must be adapted to the transition to Industry 5.0 tools to create collaborative experiences and customise the experience in the future. These technology applications enhance access to collections rather than minimising the relevance of the content ( Koukoulis and Koukopoulos, 2016 ). Cultural tourists and users of cultural institutions are experimenting a change on their profile linked to technology development. The elite position of culture will be eroded as high culture is replaced by “the local” in many places ( Russo and Richards, 2016 ). Considering different local and tourist segments, digital natives, such as Gen Z ( Ozdemir-Guzel and Bas, 2021 ), seek a different approach to cultural institutions than digital immigrants, as the analysis confirms. These audiences do not have the same concept of cultural institutions and visit them in completely different ways.

As the results shows, this fact makes the advanced development and application of AI unfeasible because of the requirement of a large investment and the long process of checking and testing the functionality of this technology. This means that cultural institutions end up using simple AI systems that do not work well and can generate problems for users. They also neither personalise the experience nor make use of Industry 5.0 approach. In conclusion, cultural institutions must use AI in an integrated way to create a community in the context of the Industry 5.0 approach while considering all the key actors. AI is not just another tool and does not replace staff, but rather helps to connect with cultural tourists and users. It allows staff to get to know the users better besides generating an immersive experience. Moreover, AI is essential in creating a community and building it day by day. Therefore, AI is not seen as just a tool but as a part of the whole. Users want to be part of the community and to participate by co-creating personalised experiences focused on attracting tourists and local users in the future.

5.1 Theoretical implications

The main theoretical implication is the definition of a model ( Figure 2 ) including a holistic perspective of user experience of AI applications in services experiences of cultural institutions, considering the three dimensions. This model arises from the analysis of qualitative data from the point of view of users and experts participating in this study.

This model sets out the fundamental aspects to be developed through AI tools in a user’s journey map from both managerial and users’ perspectives. The visit (virtual and face-to-face) is considered an experience. These tools could be implemented at the pre-experience, experience and post-experience phases around the three dimensions considered. In the model ( Figure 2 ), the HAIC is the centre that emerges from the functional and contact dimensions. During the pre-experience phase, communication strategies of cultural institutions could reinforce the planning of the visit through the implementation of AI. These strategies include pre-visualisation of the spaces, schedules and reservation of experiences. During all the experience phases, AI applications can be implemented in an inclusive, immersive and interactive way. In addition, there are other aspects such as community building, collaboration and emotional links where users and managers are involved. For instance, machine learning methods can be applied to collect data from the visitors’ physical experience and from all the different digital touchpoints of that journey, like the website, social media, ticketing and mobile apps ( French and Villaespesa, 2019 ). From another perspective, in museums and cultural institutions, recommender systems can prevent information overload for visitors by presenting interesting items based on the visitor’s interest in the already seen items.

5.2 Practical implications

Regarding the practical implications, the application of AI from an Industry 5.0 perspective allows cultural institutions to interact with users during the pre-experience, experience and post-experience; learn more about their profile and interests to personalise their experience; and introduce elements of brand value such as co-creation of experiences and community-building.

Some AI applications that can improve the visitors’ experience are chatbots helping visitors organise their visit and offering a personalised experience. Virtual reality can offer broader access, particularly to remote visitors, providing “virtual tour” experiences. Moreover, social robots’ implementation in museums and cultural institutions can improve the visitors’ experience due to the possibility of offering services in different languages, creating inclusive experiences for disabled people and being available 24/7. In addition, managers of cultural institutions focused on user care can obtain crucial data and information to develop visits by creating inclusive, immersive and interactive experiences.

5.3 Limitations and suggestions for further study

There are some limitations to this study. First, because of the health crisis, the three roundtable conversations were held in a hybrid format (online and face-to-face), and the selected roundtable discussion format may have influenced the participants’ responses owing to its public event status. Second, in terms of the flexibility of the thematic analysis, which might have led to inconsistency and lack of coherence ( Terry et al. , 2017 ), each member of the research team validated the analysis.

Future research should consider the actual and specific application of AI tools in cultural institutions, as well as considering different characteristics (e.g. size, type, place of cultural institutions) to obtain conclusions about the different dimensions identified in this study. Future research will be conducted considering the case vignette method, previously used in qualitative studies ( Fritzsche and Bohnert, 2021 ).

Dimensions system: interactions between user–AI applications in service experiences of cultural institutions from the Industry 5.0 approach

User experience and AI application in services experiences of museums and cultural institutions from an Industry 5.0 approach

Cultural institutions experts participating in discussion 1 of the roundtable

Cultural tourists and users participating in roundtable discussion 2

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Acknowledgements

Funding: The authors acknowledge the funding support by OpenInnova Research Group.

Corresponding author

About the authors.

Alicia Orea-Giner is associate professor (tenure-track) in tourism management at the Department of Business Economics (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos). She is a member of the Openinnova research group and collaborates with Centro Universitario de Estudios Turísticos (CETUR). She is an associated researcher at the Équipe Interdisciplinaire de Recherches sur le Tourisme and supervisor of master’s theses at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Considering research, she is social technologist for Sustainable Tourism ((ST) 2 ). She is associate editor for Tourism Management Perspectives (JCR Q1). She actively participates in international conferences and is a reviewer of JCR-indexed journals.

Ana Muñoz-Mazón, PhD in social science, is a professor at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid. Her extensive research and teaching background focuses on the fields of sustainability, planning, governance and development in tourism. She has collaborated with numerous national and international universities and works as advisor and researcher in several tourism projects with the UNWTO, The Women’s Institute in Spain and other institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. Additionally, she participated in many projects with public tourism administrations and private companies in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Teresa Villacé-Molinero, PhD in advanced marketing and master’s in strategic marketing from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, is associate professor of tourism marketing and information technology applied to tourism management at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, for both undergraduate and graduate students. She has taught in other institutions such as Les Roches and the Chamber of Commerce. Villacé-Molinero has also been a visiting professor at the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (Finland). In the field of academic management, she has worked as coordinator of the degree in tourism at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos for 5 years.

Her professional activity has been linked to the field of tourism management from a marketing point of view. She has worked as marketing director in a company specialised in strategic consulting and management of sports centres and spas in hotel chains (Meliá Hotels International, Barceló Hotel Group).

Her main areas of work have been focused on the tourism sector, specifically on issues related to consumer behaviour (customer loyalty), the use of technology (robots) and gender.

As a result of the research projects in which she has participated, she has presented papers at both national and international conferences, and has publications in journals of international impact (JCR and Scopus). She is an editor and reviewer in several international journals.

Laura Fuentes-Moraleda has a PhD in social sciences from UNWTO and Nebrija University, and she is lecturer of tourism market analysis and tourism planning at Rey Juan Carlos University, both for undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In the past fifteen years, her professional activity has been linked to the field of tourism destination management, and she has contributed to activities related to development and sustainable projects in tourist destinations in European and Latin American countries, while working with domestic agencies, public and private. She is deputy director at Tourism Studies Centre in Rey Juan Carlos University.

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You Can’t Visit the Museum. But Your Robot Can.

With arts institutions closed around the world, Hastings Contemporary museum in England is offering virtual tours using a telepresence robot.

By Andrew Dickson

LONDON — On a recent weekday morning, a robot was investigating the art on display at the Hastings Contemporary art museum.

Guided by the museum’s director, Liz Gilmore, the machine — an iPad -sized screen mounted on a thin black pole, attached to Segway-like wheels — zoomed past works by the English painter Graham Sutherland before turning to a rainbow-colored sculpture by the Irish artist Anne Ryan. Then, moving a little too enthusiastically, it collided with the table on which the sculpture stood.

“No harm done,” Ms. Gilmore said brightly. “Just back up, swing left and try again.”

She was actually talking to this reporter, controlling the robot via a laptop from London, some 70 miles from the seaside town of Hastings, England. It isn’t often that one needs driving lessons in an art gallery, but these are strange times.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced museums and galleries worldwide to innovate as never before. Closed to prevent the spread of infection, many institutions have rushed out offerings such as virtual viewing rooms, podcasts and online art classes . Others have turned to social media to maintain their connection with the public (the Royal Academy’s “daily doodle” challenge has been a hit on Twitter after its surprise invitation “who can draw us the best ham” caught on).

But Hastings Contemporary — which, like all similar spaces in Britain, has been closed since mid-March — has a different trick up its sleeve: Robot tours, using a mobile, Wi-Fi-enabled “telepresence” device that prowls the gallery, sending a video stream back to viewers who stay isolated at home. It appears to be the first time a British cultural organization has attempted a remote art-viewing experience like this.

Ms. Gilmore explained via the robot’s video interface that the idea had come via one of her trustees, the artist Esther Fox. Telepresence robots are increasingly used in the medical and care industries , or for interactive videoconferencing, “and we thought, well, if we have to shut down the gallery, maybe here’s a solution,” Ms. Gilmore said.

Prof. Praminda Caleb-Solly of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory agreed to loan one of their devices, a $4,000 model manufactured by the Californian firm Double Robotics. It arrived just before Britain went into lockdown.

“Art is a shared experience,” said Ms Gilmore. “A lot of people are missing it right now.”

Operating the robot is simple: Using a web browser linking the robot’s camera and your own, you pilot it with the arrow keys on your keyboard. Stairs are out, but with human assistance the machine could use the elevator and seemed disconcertingly nimble. Cruising around a deserted gallery, silent apart from the trundling wheels, was initially surreal, but within a few minutes felt normal. With practice, it was possible to zoom in close enough to read a wall text.

“Catalogs and online galleries are great,” Ms. Gilmore said, “but they don’t allow you a sense of the spacing of an exhibition, how it’s paced.”

Starting this week, Hastings Contemporary is trying various types of virtual visits using the robot, all for free, including tours with an in-person guide, a remote curator and prerecorded videos. The hope is that people from overseas will check it out, extending the gallery’s reach far beyond Britain.

“Technology like this has the ability to connect us, even in normal times,” Professor Caleb-Solly said in a Skype interview. “Think of how you could use this at museums like the Louvre, if you couldn’t afford to travel.”

Ms. Gilmore said: “The main problem we have is how we’re going to schedule all the requests we’ve had .”

Behind the novelty of using gee-whiz technology like this to view art lies the threat coronavirus poses to many galleries and museums, especially smaller ones. Hastings Contemporary, a tiny nonprofit space in a deprived town, receives around 130,000 pounds (about $160,000) annually in state subsidy, and gets the other 80 percent of its income from other sources: Ticket sales, membership fees, venue hire, fund-raising.

Ms. Gilmore has already put nine of her 13 staff on furlough, and many volunteer docents are self-isolating (a number are retirees, especially vulnerable to the virus). Although Arts Council England, the country’s main funding body, has promised emergency cash for many organizations , the hole deepens every day. Some British arts institutions have announced that they will remain shuttered until the end of June at least.

“It’s a medical emergency, of course that comes before everything, but closing our doors was the last thing we wanted to do,” Ms. Gilmore said.

In the meantime, she and her skeletal team are busy keeping the building and its displays safe, and planning for the day when reopening finally arrives.

As the robot cruised toward the gallery’s foyer, a technician was installing the gallery’s next show. It features new work by the artist Quentin Blake, best known for his madcap illustrations of children’s books. The current plan is to have a virtual opening in early May, with the robot playing a starring role.

The show’s title is “ We Live in Worrying Times ,” Ms. Gilmore noted.

“Right now,” she said, “that feels fairly appropriate.”

An earlier version of this article misidentified the artist who created a rainbow-colored sculpture. It was the Irish artist Anne Ryan, not the American abstract expressionist of the same name.

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Tourism robot launches to provide instant virtual travel amid lockdown

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Startup Propelmee has today launched the public beta of its tourism robot platform Challau, which enables users to virtually visit travel destinations.

Users can access one of a number of robots via Challau’s web-based platform . From there they can ‘beam into’ a selection of destinations known as portals.

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Each portal provides a countdown to indicate when it will open, after which users can connect to and take control of the robot at that travel destination.

Users can move the robot using a virtual or physical joystick, and can opt to show themselves on its screen and have conversations with anyone nearby.

At present the travel robot service is free to use, and will initially launch with seven tourism destinations in the UK, with plans to expand internationally in the new year.

Tourism robot provides travel alternative amid Covid-19 lockdowns

Propelmee has launched the tourism robot service to provide digital alternatives to traditional travel at a time when options for real-world holidays are extremely limited.

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“Countries around the world have imposed many travel restrictions and introduced strict quarantining rules,” said Zain Khawaja, founder and CEO of Propelmee.

“This makes it very difficult for people to travel for leisure or recreation. Tourism is one of the last remaining sectors to go fully digital – there aren’t any good online alternatives for visiting places and that’s what we wanted to solve with Challau.”

The startup believes its tourism robot has an edge on other options available to those in lockdown.

“Compared to existing online travel options, Challau gives users complete agency to explore as they wish, in real-time,” said Khawaja.

“We think that it’s really exciting for people to drive a robot on the other side of the world. It’s the closest thing to actually being there in person.”

Read more: VR tourism: The London attractions using virtual reality to enhance the tourist experience

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Robots Came For Your Jobs, Now They’re Coming for Your Vacations: Here’s How

Sean O'Neill, Skift

August 28th, 2020 at 12:00 PM EDT

Are there really enough people who want to remote-control a robot and visit places virtually? We're skeptical. But the founder of the startup Propelmee is surprisingly persuasive at the potential uses for such robots.

The robots were already coming for your jobs. Now they’re coming for your vacations, too. Robot maker Propelmee will begin testing in mid-September at several UK attractions a virtual tourism robot called Challau .

People anywhere in the world can remotely control the robot, which looks like a Segway, via a simple, browser-based interface on their computer or smartphone.

“After you click a button, you’ll see and hear what the robot’s cameras and microphones are broadcasting live,” said Zain Khawaja, founder and CEO of Propelmee. “If there’s something you want to look at more closely, you can direct the robot to move forward, pause, or turn around. It’s the real-time kinetic control that makes it much more dream-like and compelling than a live-streamed camera shot.”

Propelmee, based in Milton Keynes, UK, hasn’t disclosed yet which UK sites have agreed to participate but said the beta tests would be at outdoor attractions like zoos, castles, and arboretums.

Skeptics have scoffed at the notion of virtual vacations as poor imitations of real-life travel. And virtual vacations have been a minuscule business to date. But previous attempts at tele-presence tourism have lacked remote control.

“Google Street View, for example, is just a stitched-together set of 360-degree camera photos,” Khawaja said. “You can only hop from one fixed position to another, and its not live.”

Propelmee will offer free access to Challau online during its test phase this fall. But the plan for the commercial launch is to charge small fees for the tours. The startup will partly split the fees with the attraction operators as alternatives to ticket revenue.

“Some tourist sites are eager for customers because of the pandemic,” Khawaja said. “They’ll promote Challau via their channels, and we’ll learn some lessons from how those virtual visitors use it. That will make the platform better and more varied, which will hopefully attract more tourist sites to try it.”

Imagine the New Travel Services

One can imagine several uses for remote-control robots like Challau.

A major museum could use its after-hours quiet to offer tours to people elsewhere in the world who live in different time zones. Challau uses a mix of sensors and software so that it has an invisible fence around it, preventing any user from trying to use it to do damage such as by driving it into a wall, Khawaja said. So the tours could happen without human intervention overnight.

Cash-starved schools might replace long-distance, group trips to major landmarks with virtual ones done via a robot, where control can be shared between a teacher and students.

“We’ve thought about the potential of a franchise model where someone may have a lot of localized expertise about a location, like a bazaar in Turkey, and they can take custody of the robot and do a specialist experience as part of a virtual tour,” Khawaja said.

Millions of people living with disabilities and seeking accessible travel might be able to explore parts of the world they had only before seen before in videos.

Nursing homes and assisted living centers could have a new activity of exploring areas remotely in virtual group outings.

“Even when I talk to my grandparents who live far from London say they would be excited to virtually tour Buckingham Palace or virtually walk in the park around it,” Khawaja said.

Zain Khawaja founder and CEO of Propelmee at Cambridge Wireless DSRUPT event

Someday travel agents may be able to use a robot tour as a way to persuade a couple to book a real-life trip.

“Traditionally, people in some parts of the world have seldom traveled to places like London or Paris because of the financial strain,” Khawaja said.

“That’s an altogether untapped market, and it works conversely, where middle-class Westerners might be reluctant to go to parts of the world they consider exotic because they worry about language barriers or other factors,” Khawaja said. “The virtual tour might help persuade people to make the real trip.”

Event planners choosing among different resorts for lavish destinations might also take advantage of each property’s virtual robot to take guided tours of a space and help narrow down their list of preferred venues.

Robot Avatars for Travelers

An Avatarin robot called Newme does a tour at Tokyo’s Yashima Higashimachi acquarium. Source Avatarin.

It’s not the only effort of its kind. In April, Japanese airline ANA spun out a startup Avatarin that’s working to develop tele-presence robots, which look like electric scooters with tablet screens on top for video chatting. ANA gave $1.8 million in funding for the project, started by employees.

Avatarin’s robots display a tourist’s face and voice and enable two-way interaction with a local.

Looking ahead, UK company Autoura is perfecting Sahra , a sightseeing robot as part of an array of autonomous vehicle sightseeing and experiences tech.

Propelmee has been building autonomous robots since 2017. But it only recently turned its attention to tourism. Innovate UK and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. have bestowed grants.

Stay-at-home restrictions have prompted some creativity with variations on virtual tourism, with many tours-and-activities operators and resellers launching online experiences . For example, Chinese online travel agency Fliggy has partnered with several major European and U.S. art museums to offer livestreamed tours .

But travelers are seldom in control of their experience in these offerings, even with ones delivered by pre-recorded virtual reality and panoramic video .

For more context on virtual tourism, read our story “ Pandemic May Revive Fortunes of Virtual Reality and 360-Degree Travel Content in a Few Niches .”

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Tags: accessibility , autonomous vehicles , robotics , robots , virtual tourist

Photo credit: A Challau robot on a footpath in the UK. Propelmee, a UK startup, will test in mid-September at several UK attractions virtual tourism with the autonomous robot. Propelmee

Artificial Intelligence in Tourism and Hospitality

• First Online: 20 July 2022

Cite this chapter

• Leong Chan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8647-8416 6 ,
• Liliya Hogaboam   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0257-3596 7 &
• Renzhi Cao   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8345-343X 8  

Part of the book series: Applied Innovation and Technology Management ((AITM))

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This chapter presents the enabling technologies for AI in tourism and hospitality highlighting expert systems, voice chatbots, query engines, artificial neural networks, belief networks, sentiment analysis, fuzzy logic systems and virtual reality. The major applications of AI in tourism including smart tourism, demand forecasting, and customer data analytics are explored. Case studies include Henn Na Hotel, Hilton Hotel, Airbnb, and Expedia.

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Chan, L., Hogaboam, L., Cao, R. (2022). Artificial Intelligence in Tourism and Hospitality. In: Applied Artificial Intelligence in Business. Applied Innovation and Technology Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05740-3_14

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How to Leverage AI in the Tourism Industry: A Journey into Smart Travel

By: Marium Farooq

August 9, 2023

Table of Contents

In today’s fast-paced and technology-driven world, industries across the spectrum are embracing the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI). Among these industries, the world of tourism stands out. With its intricate dynamics and ever-evolving nature, the tourism industry is embracing AI. From enhancing customer experiences to optimizing operations, AI is revolutionizing the way travel and tourism operate. In this blog, we’ll delve into the exciting realm of AI in the tourism industry, exploring its applications, benefits, challenges, and the future it promises.

Understanding AI in Tourism: A Game Changer 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the tourism industry is reshaping every aspect of travel, from planning a trip to experiencing a destination. The integration of data analytics, machine learning, and natural language processing has given rise to a new era of smart tourism. As travellers become increasingly tech-savvy and demand personalized experiences, AI has stepped in as the ultimate travel companion.

A Glimpse into the AI-Powered Tourism Landscape

AI’s influence on the travel industry is vividly illustrated by various real-world examples. Companies like Expedia and Booking.com have adopted AI algorithms to analyze customer behaviour, enabling them to recommend personalized travel options. This ensures that each traveler’s journey is uniquely tailored to their preferences, thus enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

AI-powered chatbots are another game-changer in the tourism sector. These virtual assistants provide real-time assistance, answering inquiries, making reservations, and offering destination suggestions. By handling routine tasks, chatbots free up human staff to focus on more complex and strategic interactions.

AI Applications and Benefits for Tour Operators

The integration of artificial intelligence into the tourism industry has numerous benefits. Let’s explore some key applications that highlight AI’s potential to transform travel:

1. Personalized Recommendations and Trip Planning

One of the most significant advantages of AI in tourism is its ability to analyze vast amounts of data to generate tailored travel recommendations. By analyzing traveler preferences, historical data, and social media interactions, generative AI platforms can suggest ideal destinations, accommodations, and activities. This personalized touch enhances customer satisfaction and encourages exploration of new destinations.

2. Dynamic Pricing and Revenue Management

AI-driven algorithms play a pivotal role in optimizing pricing strategies for airlines, hotel industry, and other travel services. These algorithms analyze demand patterns, market trends, and competitor pricing to dynamically adjust rates, maximizing revenue while remaining competitive. For instance, Hotelmize, a technology company specializing in travel solutions, employs AI to help hotels optimize pricing and boost profits. If you want to learn more about the implications of Dynamic Pricing in the Tourism industry, head over to our blog about dynamic pricing for tour and activity operators.  

3. Enhanced Customer Service with Chatbots

Chatbots equipped with natural language processing capabilities are becoming indispensable for travel companies. These AI-driven assistants provide instant responses to customer queries, manage bookings, and offer guidance throughout the travel journey. This 24/7 availability improves customer satisfaction and streamlines the booking process.

4. Fraud Detection and Security

The tourism industry is vulnerable to various types of fraud, including credit card scams and identity theft. AI-powered algorithms can analyze transaction data and detect unusual patterns, flagging potential fraudulent activities. This enhances security and protects both travellers and service providers.

5. Smart Itinerary Management

AI can simplify the process of managing complex travel itineraries. Travellers can use AI-powered apps to organize flights, accommodations, and activities in one place, receiving real-time updates and alerts. This streamlines the travel experience and reduces the chances of missing important events.

6. Language Translation and Cultural Understanding

Exploring new cultures often comes with language barriers. AI-enabled translation tools can bridge this gap by providing instant language translation, helping travellers communicate with locals and immerse themselves in authentic experiences.

The Pros and Cons of AI in Tourism

As with any technology, AI brings both benefits and challenges to the tourism industry. Let’s take a closer look at these pros and cons:

• Enhanced Customer Experience: AI enables personalized recommendations, seamless bookings, and 24/7 customer support, leading to improved customer satisfaction.
• Efficiency and Automation: Routine tasks, such as booking confirmations and itinerary management, can be automated, freeing up staff for more strategic roles.
• Data-Driven Insights: AI helps analyze large amounts of data, providing valuable insights into customer preferences, market trends, and operational efficiency.
• Cost Savings: By optimizing pricing strategies and reducing manual interventions, AI can contribute to cost savings for travel companies.
• Human Interaction: While AI enhances efficiency, some travellers may miss the human touch and personalized assistance that human staff provide.
• Data Privacy Concerns: The collection and analysis of personal data raise concerns about privacy and data security, necessitating stringent regulations.
• Technical Challenges: Implementing and maintaining AI systems requires technical expertise and continuous updates, which may pose challenges for smaller businesses.
• Initial Investment: Integrating AI technology requires investment, which might be a barrier for some businesses.

Navigating the Future: AI and Tourism

The potential of AI in the tourism industry is vast and continually evolving. As technology advances, here are some exciting possibilities that the future holds:

1. Hyper-Personalized Travel Experiences

AI algorithms will become even more adept at understanding individual preferences and behaviours, enabling the creation of hyper-personalized travel itineraries. Travellers can expect experiences tailored to their unique interests, making every trip unforgettable.

2. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Integration

AI-powered VR and AR applications could transform how travellers research and experience destinations. Virtual tours, immersive experiences, and interactive guides will become more realistic, allowing travellers to explore before they even set foot on their chosen location.

3. Sustainable Travel Solutions

AI can contribute to the growing emphasis on sustainable and eco-tourism . By analyzing data related to environmental impact, AI can help travellers make eco-friendly choices and encourage the tourism industry to adopt more sustainable practices.

4. Enhanced Crisis Management

AI can play a crucial role in crisis management, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advanced AI models can predict potential travel disruptions and provide real-time information to travellers, ensuring their safety and minimizing inconveniences.

Final Word:

The integration of artificial intelligence into the tourism industry marks a significant step towards smarter, more efficient, and personalized travel experiences. From personalized recommendations and dynamic pricing to enhanced customer service and security, AI’s impact is evident at every stage of the travel journey. As technology continues to advance, the future of AI in tourism holds the promise of even more exciting and innovative developments. Whether you’re a traveler seeking unforgettable experiences or a travel company aiming to optimize operations, embracing AI is undoubtedly a transformative choice that will shape the future of travel. So, buckle up and embark on this AI-powered journey into the world of smart tourism – your next adventure awaits!

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Robots in travel clinics: building on tourism’s use of technology and robots for infection control during a pandemic

• Irmgard L Bauer   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8305-3700 1  

Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines volume  9 , Article number:  10 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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The arrival of COVID-19 impacted every aspect of life around the world. The virus, whose spread was facilitated overwhelmingly by people’s close contact at home and by travelling, devastated the tourism, hospitality, and transportation industry. Economic survival depended largely on demonstrating to authorities and potential travellers the strict adherence to infection control measures. Fortunately, long before the pandemic, the industry had already employed digital technology, artificial intelligence, and service robots, not to keep the world safe, but to either bridge staff shortages or save costs, reduce waiting times, streamline administration, complete unattractive, tedious, or physical tasks, or use technology as marketing gimmicks. With COVID-19, offering social distancing and touchless service was an easy step by extending quickly what was already there. The question arose: could travellers’ acceptance of technology and robots for infection control be useful in travel medicine? COVID-19 fostered the rapid and increased acceptance of touchless technology relating to all things travel. The public’s expectations regarding hygiene, health and safety, and risk of infection have changed and may stay with us long after the pandemic is ‘the new normal’, or a new one approaches. This insight, combined with the current experience with robots in health and medicine, is useful in exploring how robots could assist travel medicine practice. However, several aspects need to be considered in terms of type of robot, tasks required, and the public’s positive or negative attitudes towards robots to avoid known pitfalls. To meet the crucial infection control measures of social distancing and touch avoidance, the use of robots in travel medicine may not only be readily accepted but expected, and implications for management, practice, and research need to be considered.

Introduction

The last 100 years have seen over ten pandemics or outbreaks [ 1 ], many either spread by travel or impacting travellers to outbreak destinations. Although tourism plays a major role in spreading infectious diseases, it is also in prime position to curb transmission by implementing a wide range of physical, structural, logistic, and technological means [ 2 ]. As early as September 2020, the World Travel and Tourism Council published ‘ To Recovery and Beyond’ , covering a comprehensive range of implications and recommendations [ 3 ].

COVID-19 was not just a medical emergency caused by a then little-known virus. It culminated in travel restrictions and bans across soon to be closed international borders and within countries. The virus threatened the survival of a multi-billion-dollar industry that exists solely by people moving about, congregating and meeting others at destinations around the world. An industry held hostage by the likes, dislikes, preferences, and attitudes of the travelling public must do everything to attract and keep customers.

Without a recent precedence, hence lacking theoretical guidance on the subject [ 4 , 5 ], tourism started research immediately to participate actively in the control of the virus in the industry’s best interest. Much work aligned with the expertise of individual researchers and groups, and covered economic and managerial aspects but, importantly, a large section focused on people, the lifeblood of the industry, to develop appropriate strategies. These strategies are of interest to travel health professionals as they address travellers’ health and demonstrate how another industry responds to health directives. Research covered a wide variety of topics: risk perceptions and travel intentions, mass gatherings, physical and psychological impacts on tourism employees and residents at destination, hostility and discrimination, as well as the use of technology to meet health directives and so mitigate tourism’s role in spreading the virus [ 4 ].

Fear of infection was reinforced when, at the beginning of the pandemic and with much disquietude, pictures went around the globe of people in masks and face-shields, puzzling use of gloves, horrific scenes in intensive care units, or people in full PPE spraying vigorously bushes and cars in urban streets. Suddenly, it became critical to avoid touching surfaces and people, being coughed and sneezed on and, preferably, to stay away from others altogether. Technology, used widely before, became the supreme means to assist humans in daily life.

Artificial intelligence-driven services have been everywhere in recent years in tourism and transportation, including travellers’ source of information from government websites, news outlets, local information to alert to natural, political, or other potential threats to safety and security, and health advice. Complete travel and travel health advice can be uniquely tailored to traveller and trip (with caution) by ChatGPT. Travel medicine already uses smartphones for research, risk assessment, medication monitoring, and consultations. Like in infectious disease control, phones can be used for communicating symptoms, advice or pictures to assist diagnoses [ 6 ]. These uses are quick and convenient, if impersonal. However, there are still many situations where some resemblance of face-to-face contact mirrors the notion of service. This is where robots can step in – and add to infection control.

This perspective first presents tourism and hospitality’s use of technology, including robots, to meet the demands of authorities combatting the spread of COVID-19. This is important for travel health professionals who release ‘their’ travellers into the world where contactless activity is an extension of their advice regarding infection avoidance. Furthermore, assuming that COVID-19 is not the last pandemic to bring the world to a standstill, safe robot use during travel should be part of pre-travel care. Collective experiences and insights of robot use in tourism (and healthcare) encourage robot employment in travel clinics as a logical and seamless step towards modern infection control.

The search for literature, predominantly post-2020, utilised PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar as well as grey literature with combinations of search terms: ‘robot’, ‘automation’, ‘human-robot interaction’, ‘tourism’, ‘travel’, ‘health’, ‘medicine’, ‘COVID-19’, ‘infection control’ and included only English-language material. Reference lists of attained papers provided further sources.

Technology in tourism and hospitality: its new role in infection control

Technology has long played an important role in front-of-house tourism, starting possibly with the replacement of paper plane-tickets with eTickets. Since then, rapidly evolving technological advances found their practical use in tourism and hospitality: cashless payment, self-serve kiosks, self-check-in at airports or hotels, digital IDs, passports and vaccination certificates, drones delivering food, autonomous vehicles, service robots, and smartphone applications for destinations, as tour guides or for crisis communication. Convenience and speed for customers stood opposite cost saving and staff reduction for companies. The arrival of COVID-19, and the fear of infection, accelerated the use of technology as there was now a multitude of ways to avoid touch and keep distance.

The perfect infection control, of course, is: not going away. Virtual travel (VT) existed through television travel programs and became more sophisticated over time with webcam-travel, virtual tours and, more recently, vTime, an immersive virtual reality world controlled via one’s head movements. Fixed cameras at popular destinations transmit live pictures; curated ‘tours’ through museums and exhibitions, nature, attractions, towns, and activities allow visits without being there. VT, free or purchased, is inexpensive and safe, and benefits people who are unable to travel, e.g., the disabled or infirm. It can accommodate those who need to follow socio-cultural and religious rules and meet gender-based role expectations [ 7 ]. It is not ‘real’ travel but may tempt viewers to visit a destination in the future [ 8 ]. VT can enhance mental well-being, especially during lockdowns in a pandemic [ 9 , 10 ], and for those with perceived high threat severity [ 11 ]. Presumably, it may do the opposite and highlight cultural restrictions for those who cannot travel freely. During COVID-19, VT was a little something for would-be travellers who had nowhere to go, or people confined to their homes during lockdown. It was excellent for infection control but no salvation for a panicked industry, nor did local communities benefit [ 4 ].

Food and drink evoke a particularly high expectation regarding hygiene standards. Robots have cooked meals for some time [ 12 ]. In 2014, Royal Caribbean International opened the Bionic Bar with twin robots preparing drinks on request, appropriately programmed after the aesthetic movement of a principal ballet dancer [ 13 ]. Seen at the time as ‘cool’ gimmicks, the pandemic encouraged the use of technology to meet the requirements for social distancing and a touchless existence. Self-serving food technology has a long history creating a convenient 24/7-availability of goods without paying for staff. Now, self-service food kiosks meet diners’ expectations not only because of shyness, perceived control, or intolerance for tardy service, but the perceived reduced risk of infection from an employee [ 14 ]. The need to touch a touchscreen can be overcome (pers. obs. IB) by keying instructions inventively with knuckles or elbows, through a layer of tissue or a stylus pen. Food-delivery apps arrange delivery by people at a distance [ 15 ] or to a building or floor storage unit and from there by robot to the customer apartment [ 12 ]. Drone food-delivery works similarly [ 16 ]. If patrons venture out to eat, robots greet, take orders, and deliver meals [ 12 ].

Among all tools available, robots stand out for their sophistication (compared to self-services) and their potential to replace certain human actions. After a brief section on robots and a summarised presentation of their employment in tourism, hospitality and health, this perspective discusses how robots may be of use in travel clinics.

Robots are machines that perform automatic tasks guided by different levels of autonomy. They are to serve us (Old Slavonian robota  = servitude) by completing tasks that are dull, dirty, or dangerous. They still lack emotion and social skills but provide consistent precise action. Robots require sensors (vision, touch, sound, smell, taste), actuators (whole-body motion, manipulation) and computational capabilities [ 17 ]. Robots ‘work’ in innumerable roles, such as in manufacturing, medicine and health care, the military, including mine clearing, coral husbandry, autonomous underwater locomotion, or research on Mars.

The idea of automated devices to complete physical tasks goes back to antiquity. To the delight of onlookers, dead objects like dolls, figurines or machines became alive and danced, moved head and limbs, played instruments, or served tea. Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical knight, Chinese clocktowers and many other human-like automata come to mind. Not quite a perpetuum mobile , an automaton was driven by water or steam. Later, air pressure powered robots in movies, e.g., Fritz Lang’s Metropolis . The arrival of electricity created industrial robots, predominantly in manufacturing, that worked with consistent precision without needing a break. Since then, the field of robots, robotics and their applications has grown exponentially thanks to fuzzy logic and artificial intelligence which drive all modern robotic devices.

Fuzzy logic and artificial intelligence (AI)

Fuzzy logic, in contrast to classic logic which uses statements of absolute truth, processes sets of relative truths and levels of possibility, using algorithms to decide similar to human problem solving. Conditions are a matter of degree rather than precision. First mentioned by Lotfi Zadeh in 1965 [ 18 ], robots use fuzzy logic to sense information from their environment and respond based on a decision-tree analysis, allowing a much wider scope of applicability. Fuzzy logic is at the core of the rapidly evolving field of AI. According to one of the co-founders of the discipline, AI is ‘the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs’ [ 19 , p.2]. Such programs are capable, like humans, to communicate, store information, use information to draw conclusions, extrapolate patterns, perceive objects, and manipulate objects and move about [ 20 ]. AI drives anything from search engines, speech recognition, automated cars to composing essays or answering questions. AI fuels robots, and the better the program, the more sophisticated the robot. Despite the enormous range of useful applications, there are concerns about potential misuse and loss of human control. Over ten years ago, while all important parts were there, there was ‘still something important missing in the overall picture’ [ 17 , p.294]. Today, AI makes robots appear to ‘think’. At the time of writing, ChatGPT, a large language processing tool which produces AI-created texts based on knowledge available up to 2021, appeared in the media around the world highlighting its benefits and risks. However, uncritical reliance on the tool is fraught with problems. For example, to the prompt ‘in a sentence, describe the weaknesses of ChatGPT’ it responded ‘ChatGPT’s weaknesses include a lack of common sense, context-specific knowledge and a tendency to generate nonsensical or biased responses’ [ 21 ]. Theoretically, ChatGPT-text could be voiced by a robot.

There are multiple applications of clinical AI, but patients’ and the public’s perceptions and attitudes vary greatly. AI is viewed positively with some reservation for diagnostic purposes but should not replace clinicians or their supervision. AI can serve as a second opinion and complement a physician but, in the case of conflict, trust rests with the clinician [ 22 ]. Trust is also greater if the system is set up by health care rather than technology companies. Clinical AI has strengths but also weaknesses: physicians may not approve of patients ‘supplementing’ their care with AI, and potential legal and ethical consequences [ 22 ]. AI should help clinicians but not decide, act or recommend [ 23 ]. Members of the public placed equal trust in a diagnosis by physicians and AI, but trusted AI more for cancer diagnoses and would be willing to pay for an AI-review of medical imaging. There was no taste for unsupervised autonomous robotic surgery [ 24 ]. AI in tourism and hospitality is equally widespread, found anywhere outside the traditional face-to-face contact and in all examples described later in this article.

Humanoid robots

From human-like automata and robotic arms assembling cars, it was only a small step to create robots with human appearance and locomotion. From a box with a head to a torso with head and arms, to a full-sized humanoid capable of relatively smooth movements, the aim was to create anthropomorphism to the point that robots looked uncannily like humans. But there was a stumbling block. The ‘uncanny valley’, first explained in 1970 by Masahiro Mori [ 25 ], describes how a person’s positive response to obviously artificial gadgets suddenly changes to repulsion when a realistic looking robot that smiles unnaturally and whose eyes may even follow a person, just looks creepy. This is similar, for example, to a myoelectric hand which looks like an amputated hand that still moves. Amazing from an engineering point, employing uncanny humanoid robots requires careful consideration. People were more accepting of a humanoid robot when told that it was controlled remotely by a person, rather than the robot acting autonomously [ 26 ]. Moral decisions of robots that appear eerily human were judged less moral compared to the same decisions by non-humanoid robots or humans [ 27 ]. There may be a greater acceptance by ‘gadget-nerds’ or younger people, but due to the negative response to the uncanny valley effect, human-like robots should be employed with care where people’s positive response is crucial, as in health and medicine, and tourism and hospitality. As a world-first, in 2017, Saudi Arabia granted citizenship to the English-speaking, non-Muslima human-like SOPHIA [ 28 ].

Robots’ impact on job security

The World Economic Forum predicted that by 2025, 85 million jobs will be replaced by technology, but 97 million new roles created with humans, machines and algorithms working together [ 29 ]. While this trend will have benefits, many such roles will not suit low-tech local jobs, and opportunities for local tourism workers will be lost [ 20 ]. During COVID-19, robots filled in for missing employees but in turn, created redundancies. Robots induced unemployment [ 30 ]. Travellers who liked robots for service provision did not worry about possible social costs and job losses [ 31 ].

Robots in tourism and hospitality – tools for infection control

Service robots are connected to a company-wide system and interact, communicate, and deliver services to this company’s customers [ 32 ]. Drivers to adopt automation are technological progress, labour shortages (also due to pandemics), customer demand and expectation, and innovative capabilities [ 33 ]. Rapport, trust, and usage intention, i.e., human-robot interaction, depend on robots’ perceived intelligence, social presence, and social interactivity [ 34 ]. AI-driven systems and robots, e.g., the world’s first social robot PEPPER, or concierge CONNIE and many others, have long been employed in tourism and hospitality. Examples are too numerous to list but include travel information, booking, airline self-check-in, bag drop, automated border control, customer service, hotel check-in and check-out, welcoming guests and taking, storing and delivering luggage, room service, vacuuming, cleaning, security checks, entertainment, concierge services, and generally reducing waiting times [ 35 , 36 , 37 ].

A recent study of Egyptian domestic tourists suggested that positive visitor satisfaction, based on emotional well-being and perceived safety, and health consciousness both led to a willingness to use service robot [ 38 ]. Before the pandemic, robots received a mixed report card because many viewed them as non-anthropocentric, not what travel is about [ 39 ]. With COVID-19, their importance rose immediately [ 40 ]. Robots, robotic vehicles and other autonomous devices have been used in airports, recreation areas, and hotels and restaurants [ 36 ]. Much research into their accelerated use and acceptance by travellers hoped to demonstrate that robots project a lower risk of infection [ 41 ] and people would again travel more [ 42 ]. Robots’ ability to be cleaned and sanitised frequently certainly helped. However, robotic service was seen positively only in economy, not full-service hotels [ 43 ]. They were more acceptable in utilitarian services, e.g., transport, and not so much in hedonic services, e.g., hospitality supposed to provide pleasure and enjoyment [ 44 ]. People’s views on facemasks translated to anthropomorphic robots with and without facemasks, representing a shared subjective experience [ 45 ]. One was also safe from moral judgment from robots to embarrassing requests; however, this changed with increasing anthropomorphism [ 32 ]. Pre-COVID-19, uncannily humanlike robots in hotels triggered uncomfortable feelings (‘creepy’, ‘weird’) and concerns about perceived safety [ 46 ], especially when mortality is salient [ 47 ]. In contrast, Gen Z thought the more humanlike a robot, the better the infection control [ 48 ].

29,507 TripAdvisor reviews of 80 hotels worldwide using robots for various tasks yielded mixed acceptance, especially due to disappointing performance, malfunction, or ‘creepy’ appearance [ 35 ]. In the US and UK, cleaning robots were seen as less competent than human cleaners unless the task was disgusting, e.g., urine on the hotel floor or blocked toilets [ 49 ]. Apart from data and privacy concerns, robot failure is a major setback, most spectacularly demonstrated in the Henn na Hotel where, among many malfunctions, robots mistook guests’ snoring as cries for help and acted as programmed [ 50 ].

Pre-pandemic, a study suggested customers are more critical of human service failure than robot failure as human performance is prone to inconsistencies [ 51 ]. Cuteness of robots raises failure tolerance, but humour expressed by a robot is only acceptable in low-severity mishaps; the more anthropomorphic a robot, the more negative the perception of its humour [ 52 ]. Robots may mitigate discrimination by and of employers, employees, and tourists by serving without judgments but may indirectly discriminate by robots representing a particular race or gender or against people who are unfamiliar with the use of robots and need to ask for help [ 53 , 54 ]. Post-COVID-19, a combination of human, robotic and mixed service in tourism and hospitality was envisaged [ 55 ], but ‘contactless service’ still must focus on ‘service’, not just ‘contactless’ [ 56 ]; a move from high-touch-low-tech to high-tech-low-touch may be detrimental to an industry that is built on human interaction [ 37 ].

Robots in health care and medicine

Health professionals are familiar with the use of robots. Automated patient-support has existed before, especially in health kiosks, publicly accessible computing devices, providing a range of services including health information, clinical screening, self-check-ins, telehealth, or medication monitoring in general as well as specialty and outpatient clinics. Despite the arrival of robots, health kiosks will still be needed for a long time [ 57 ].

In healthcare, robots assist clinicians, direct users, and caregivers with tasks inside, on and outside the body [ 58 ]. Micro-robotics dispense or remove material in the body or act as sensors. Robots assist in ever advancing surgical procedures and sonography, or as patient simulators. Robotic prostheses, orthoses, and exoskeletons replace missing limbs, while other robots assist with physical tasks, also in contaminated environments [ 58 ]. Robots assist nurses, caregivers, and individuals in domestic and medical tasks, including lifting/transferring patients, assistance with personal care, medication management, meal delivery, vital sign measurement, call for help, household tasks, cleaning, disinfecting and waste disposal, escorting, companionship, or dog walking [ 59 ]. Robots transport patients and goods, and complete hospital admissions or discharge. Robots have been successful in reducing children’s dental anxiety [ 60 ], pain and distress regarding vaccinations [ 61 ], including parents’ anxiety [ 62 ], and in self-management education for children with Type 1 Diabetes [ 63 ]. PEPPER seemed helpful in combatting influenza vaccination hesitancy through health education, though this study did not include a control group [ 64 ]. The robotic baby harp seal PARO has been used in many aged care facilities to improve biopsychological conditions, especially in dementia patients. The autonomous robot, programmed with five senses, has been partly useful [ 65 ], but should not replace staff time [ 66 ]. No doubt, many more applications are in development, such as hair-washing robots [ 67 ], a venepuncture robot to address rolling veins [ 68 ] or a smart robotic crutch [ 69 ].

While the technical abilities and applications are one aspect, the acceptance and perceived usefulness by users and staff are another, regardless of solutions to manpower concerns [ 70 ]. In one study, users’ views varied depending on the task but were similar across all age-groups (18–98 y) [ 59 ]. Staff found social robots beneficial and practical in psychosocial care for older adults in long-term facilities [ 71 ]. A systematic review of human and robot personality in health care suggested that a matching personality of both was a key predictor of whether patients accepted a robot as health care worker. A robot’s personality included extroversion, femininity, playfulness, or seriousness [ 72 ].

Robots safeguarding travellers’ health

COVID-19 not only devastated the tourism industry; there were few to no travellers needing travel health care. People’s fear of infection through close contact with others or touching contaminated surfaces, and their expectations that their well-being was safeguarded, changed dramatically with this pandemic. Travel medicine discussed present and future aspects of COVID-19 [ 73 , 74 ], but there is little evidence of looking over the fence to see what others, especially tourism, do and how to benefit from such strategies.

The appreciation of robots for travellers’ health is important for two reasons. First, clinicians should be familiar with how robots control infection in tourism settings, if they are employed correctly or as mere tokens, if any content they convey is correct, and how touchscreens are disinfected. The latter has been a point of contention for as long as touchscreens in computers, phones, food kiosks or in-seat entertainment on planes have spread pathogens from one user to the next. Fomite-based transmission of microbes, e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli or Clostridum difficile , has been studied at large [ 75 , 76 ]. It is impractical to clean a screen after each user. Therefore, one should remind travellers to wash or sanitise hands after touching a public screen, typically an automatic action without further thought. Travellers may also ask about service robots’ benefit or trustworthiness in infection control or request practical tips. Such conversations lead to research questions, preferably for multidisciplinary teams: How do travellers perceive the value of robots during a pandemic? Are individuals’ levels of anxiety regarding COVID-19 associated with attitudes towards robots? Does the use of robots change patient-clinician relationships? How does technology change travellers’ risk perception? What are views and acceptance of robots by clinic staff? In addition, travel medicine should collaborate with tourism regarding the correct purpose, actions, program content, and hygienic maintenance of service robots.

Second, the rapidly evolving acceptance of technology may make the use of robots in clinics not only useful but provide a continuum in control measures from pre-travel care to travel. Travellers are in the clinic for minutes, in the sphere of tourism for days, weeks or months.

Robots in travel clinics

Current insight into robots and research into their use in tourism and in health allow clinicians to explore possible uses of suitable robots in clinics and surgeries. Experience with service robots elsewhere provides a basis for considering the possibility of employing a robot while taking advantage of the benefits and avoiding pitfalls, especially around privacy and patient data protection. Based on the literature presented earlier, some suggestions follow.

Decision to employ a robot

People expect visible evidence that a health facility adheres to hygiene requirements, especially in a pandemic. The presence of a robot may further reinforce public health directives on distancing and touch avoidance, and influence travellers’ behaviour long after they left the clinic. Robots also protect staff health.

Staffing issues

Robots are often used to replace staff and save costs. This is not a robot’s purpose in travel medicine. With the widening of the specialty, travel medicine literature suggests ever more content to be included in travel health care in often severely limited timeslots. The appropriate use of robots is enormously timesaving, freeing clinicians, and especially nurses, to devote their limited time to quality care tailored to the traveller. A robot is employed in addition to staff, not instead of staff.

What is the robot supposed to do?

Robots can solve problems based on their algorithm and solution sets. They can only do what they are programmed for. Designing the appropriate AI is a task for programmers and engineers; travel health practitioners provide the correct input. A robot is particularly useful in pre-travel care where it deals with time-consuming pre-consultation questionnaires, post-consultation outcome-‘tests’, travel health advice, and general health education. As elsewhere, it could be used to address children’s (and parents’) anxiety regarding travel vaccinations. A robot can also clean and disinfect, or transport vaccines, medication [ 77 ], or travel gadgets a clinic may sell. Tasks completed by robots elsewhere could be copied where appropriate. A robot can greet patients and, on exiting a clinic, wish: ‘safe travels!’. During travel, depending on a clinic’s robot use, data could be transferred to or from a mobile platform [ 60 ] and serve in any of the functions where smartphones are currently used.

Choice of robot

Once the required tasks have been decided, the choice of robot must be made, especially if it should be non-hominoid, or hominoid, with caution against human-like appearances. It can be simple, e.g., like PEPPER with a touchpad and screen, or front panel allowing for animation or playback, or it could be very sophisticated, depending on the requirements and its degree of autonomy. The output can be text or voice. Robots can be embellished as a clinic feels appealing or appropriate, without it being turned into a cheap gimmick.

The careful choice of robots and their role may prove an excellent marketing tool if travellers see the robot as value-enhancer. This applies not only to ‘tech-nerds’. Children may insist on going to ‘the clinic with the robot’, a definite benefit, when it comes to essential repeat visits for vaccinations.

Maintenance and cost

Most importantly, the robot must work; failures are not acceptable. Regular maintenance and program updates need to be factored in, as well as a suitable disinfection method for robot and touchscreen [ 78 ]. Cost is an issue in all medical setting, especially in smaller clinics. However, the cost of a robot is still much less than the annual cost of a staff member. Alternatively, robots can be leased. Staff training needs to be costed as well.

A Robot for the Road?

Finally, what about robots for travellers? The pocket-sized ‘Cleansebot’ promises to be an ‘automatic germ-killing machine for your travels’. It kills ‘germs and bacteria’, making a room ‘a little bit cleaner’. It slips between bedsheets to attack any unpleasantness left by a previous guest and combats airborne viruses, presumably by waving the gadget in the air. The makers, unburdened by scientific insight into microbes, refer to test results [ 79 ] which are unable to be located. There is currently no robot for use ‘on the road’.

The appearance of COVID-19 at the beginning of 2020 was not only a medical emergency but a question of survival for the tourism industry. Like health care, tourism and hospitality are ‘high-touch’ industries where close contact with people is at the core of service.

With distancing and touch avoidance, the main infection control measures utilised technology, automation, and robots to ensure that service was delivered as best as possible under the circumstances, even though it is methodologically difficult to provide evidence for case reduction. For a long time, robots have proved useful in many fields for a wide variety of purposes. During the pandemic, their role as a ‘go-between’ in transactions between service provider and recipient reached a new significance.

The current paper utilised the first studies on technology during COVID-19. There will be many more on robots as infection control in tourism and in health. Based on current (and future) evidence, travel medicine may benefit from becoming part of a network of service robot providers for the benefit of travellers and practitioners. A more automated future may provide a seamless link between pre-travel health care and travellers’ experiences with technology during their trips. A new pandemic might just be around corner.

Data Availability

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Bauer, I.L. Robots in travel clinics: building on tourism’s use of technology and robots for infection control during a pandemic. Trop Dis Travel Med Vaccines 9 , 10 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-023-00197-7

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Now with a virtual tour from Flyover Zone called Baalbek Reborn, you can tour one of the most ... [+] important locations in the Roman Empire. Pictured here: Baalbek's Temple of Jupiter.

By transitioning their events to virtual, event creators generated revenue they might have otherwise missed during the pandemic and they connected with new, global audiences. “In fact, of the virtual events hosted in the U.S. in 2020 on Eventbrite, one quarter of the audience came from overseas locations,” says Mendelsohn.

And while the pandemic won’t last forever, Flyover Zone’s Frischer sees virtual tours as a lasting effect that will whet people’s appetite for real-world tourism going forward. “We compare a virtual tour to a sample chapter of a book that you can download for your e-reader. It’s not designed to make you not want to explore the whole book,” says Frischer. “It’s designed to make you want to read it all.”

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This seems to be the sentiment across the virtual travel industry. “Even as conventional travel resumes, we continue to see a rise in Amazon Explore experiences booked and anticipate that the new service will continue to grow in popularity,” says an Amazon Explore spokesperson.

Travel the world from your couch through one of these fantastic virtual experiences.

An image from the virtual tour of Baalbek Reborn.

Flyover Zone

If history is your thing, you can’t miss one of Flyover Zone’s teletours—virtual visits to some of the world’s most important cultural heritage sites. Led by experts in the field, these teletours allow you to see details up close and show you the renderings of how the heritage sites originally looked through 3D modeling.

Try: Baalbek Reborn . Part of the ancient Rome Empire but built thousands of years before Rome, Baalbek is an historic site in Lebanon that is as significant as places like Pompeii and Machu Picchu (but far less well-known). Flyover Zone partnered with the German Archaeological Institute and the Ministry of Culture - Directorate General of Antiquities, Lebanon to create this free virtual experience, which is available on a number of platforms, from iPhone to Oculus. You can see areas that are off-limits and even travel back in time and see what this incredible site looked like in the year 215. The tour is hosted by the very people who excavated the site, bringing the ancient world to life. Cost: free.

With Amazon, you can explore Berowra Valley National Park in the North Shore region of Sydney, ... [+] Australia.

Amazon Explore

The company that sells pretty much everything recently added Amazon Explore —live virtual travel experiences like landmark walking tours and cooking classes—to its inventory. The experiences are livestreamed one-on-one with a host who is on location, and two-way audio allows for plenty of dialogue and question-asking. You’ll be able to browse by a variety of filters to find the virtual experience of your wanderlust dreams. Many experiences allow users to purchase artisan-made products, which supports small businesses and allows guests to shop for one-of-a-kind “souvenir” items. 

Try: Explore the Australian Wilderness . Find hidden natural treasures in the wild valleys that surround Sydney. You’ll learn about native flora and fauna and discover majestic sculptured cliffs and caves at Berowra Valley National Park. Cost: $40.

Now you can view the Aurora Borealis in Iceland on a virtual tour.

Airbnb Experiences

When the pandemic hit, Airbnb migrated its popular Experiences concept to a 100% virtual travel platform. Now, Online Experiences offers hundreds of sessions, allowing entrepreneurs from around the world to connect with and share their passions with the travel-hungry over Zoom.

Try: Aurora Hunting in Iceland . Spend two hours with your on-location host in search of the Northern Lights. As you go, your host will teach you all about the natural spectacle with enthusiasm and expertise. Cost: from $30.

Get a peek at Tutankhamun’s Tomb with Eventbrite.

Eventbrite allows businesses to share their events to a broad community. The service is home to millions of global events and experiences, but swiftly worked with event creators to add online experiences to the its platform. In 2020, Eventbrite’s digital platform soared for virtual experiences with over 1 million online events and over 75 million attendees worldwide.

Try: Tutankhamun’s Tomb: Ancient Egypt Virtual Tour . Interested in the story—and the curse— of Egypt’s most famous king? A licensed tour guide hosts this live event from Egypt with a local expert. Together, you’ll explore King Tut’s tomb, the Golden Mask, and treasures at the Cairo Museum. Cost: $10.

Have a virtual wine tasting in California.

 Indagare launched its Global Classroom to offer private classes for people seeking new experiences. The company offers a myriad of options, from cooking lessons to guided wine and mixology tastings to history tours.

Try: Wine Tasting with Schramsberg and Davies Vineyards . Virtually travel to Schramsberg, the second-oldest bonded winery in Napa Valley, and meet a second-generation vintner. He will talk you through a few bottlings and highlight the history of the vineyard, set in California’s North Coast. Cost: pricing upon request.

Listen to the sounds of Motu Tane Island in Bora Bora with Unify Cosmos.

Unify Cosmos

Listen to the most relaxing sounds in the world with Unify Cosmos , a new interactive soundboard featuring audio clips from faraway locales. Some psychologists assert that taking the time to stop and listen to the sounds of your surroundings can boost well-being, increase generosity, and enhance life satisfaction. So step away from the stresses of the pandemic and listen to natural, peaceful sounds from Bora Bora to Barbados.

Try: Motu Tane Island, Bora Bora . Drift away to Polynesia with the sounds of the sea. You’ll hear storm clouds roll in and the waves crashing down. The powerful hums of nature will take you far away. Cost: free.

Learn about green tea in Japan.

Arigato Japan Food Tours

 Arigato Japan Food Tours launched Online Experiences with local hosts and discovered that this is a great way to connect with future travelers. In fact, the company views these virtual tours as the newest way of travel planning and research—more than just a one-time experience. With each experience, you’ll make new friends in Japan and great local connections for future travel.

Try: Green Teatime in Shizuoka . Learn the magic of green tea, its important role in Japanese culture, and why Shizuoka is so famous for its green tea. You’ll also get all the tips to brew the perfect cup at home. Cost: $15.

See pierogis being made in Krakow, Poland.

Intrepid Urban Adventures

Intrepid’s new Urban Adventures online tours allows families who have been working and learning remotely to connect virtually with local tour guides and their families around the world through hands-on experiences that give a glimpse of local culture and traditions. The collection currently includes four experiences, with plans to expand to other experiences and destinations in the coming months. 

Try: Online Krakow Experience: Traditional Pierogi Cooking Class . Learn to make authentic Polish pierogi from scratch. You’ll join a Krakow-based cook from your own kitchen to learn the tricks of the trade. Along the way, you’ll pick up some tidbits about Polish culture and language. Cost: from $29.

See street art in New York City.

Google Arts & Culture

Partnering with over 2,000 museums and archives around the world, Google Arts & Culture is an online platform that allows viewers to experience some of the world’s art and artifacts. High-resolution imagery, augmented reality, and interactive experiences bring these cultural highlights to life online.

Try: 9 Amazing Street Art Murals in New York. Visit the locations of stunning works of art along the streets of New York City. After all, there is no shortage of great street artists in the Big Apple. You’ll be able to “walk” along the streets with the virtual reality features. Cost: free.

Experience Tokyo's cherry blossoms with Tours by Locals.

ToursByLocals

This marketplace of tours connects travels with local guides in 193 countries. Until international travel is safe again, ToursByLocals has 175 live virtual private tours to choose from. You’ll be able to chat with a local guide in real-time over the course of your cooking class, history lesson, or walking tour.

Try: Tokyo Cherry Blossoms Tour . Japan’s national flower, Sakura (cherry blossom) is a symbol of renewal and optimism. Much of Japanese culture has been influenced by these beautiful flowers. Join your Tokyo-based guide as you virtually roam under cherry blossom trees followed by a virtual picnic as she shares her experiences in Japanese culture and cuisine. Cost: $125.

Tour Jane Austen's House Museum in Chawton, England, from home.

Jane Austen’s House Museum

In some cases, individual tourism sites have transformed their usual tours into virtual reality. Jane Austen’s House Museum in the United Kingdom took matters into its own hands when the government ordered nonessential sites to shutter. Over many months, the site’s trustees discovered inventive ways to keep Jane Austen fans engaged with online events and a virtual tour of the famed writer’s home.

Try: 360-Degree Virtual Tour of the Jane Austen House. Launched last October, now anyone can explore Austen’s home without having to travel. The guided tours give avid fans an exciting resource to learn more about the life and times of Jane Austen. Cost: $7.

Take a virtual gog sled ride in Fairbanks, United States

Explore Fairbanks

Fairbanks, Alaska, is among many cities around the world that have digitized some of its leading attractions—including, in Fairbanks’ case, dog sledding and the stunning Northern Lights. With Explore Fairbanks , these attractions are now available to explore as 360-degree “tours.”

Try: 360-Degree Dog Sled Ride . Available to view on YouTube, this digital dogsled ride can feel surprisingly life-like. Set it up to play on the biggest screen you have, and you’ll feel transported into a snow-covered forest. Cost: free.

A scene from The Other Art Fair LA in 2018. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for The Other ... [+] Art Fair)

The Other Art Fair Virtual Editions

The leading artist fair for discovering emerging artists has launched a new series of innovative virtual reality art fairs, The Other Art Fair Virtual Editions . These VR art fairs offer highly experiential programming for fair-goers, including the chance to explore artist booths, take part in a live video chat with artists for a one-on-one about the artist’s process and their work, and participate in live fair tours, workshops and lectures. Virtual Editions is making a worldwide tour in 2021, including dedicated VR art fairs in Los Angeles, London, Sydney, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, and Toronto, and each fair will feature artists and VR programming unique to that city. With Virtual Editions, you can now attend local art fairs from around the world, be in-the-know about new emerging artists, and update that Zoom background with new artwork while supporting local talents.

Try: At The Other Art Fair LA (March 30 to April 4), you can explore a curated selection of over 115 independent and emerging local artists with thousands of pieces to suit every budget. Next up after that is The Other Art Fair Brooklyn (May 6 to 9). Cost: free.

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Technology trends shaping the tourism and hospitality industry

Technology is rapidly evolving in the tourism and hospitality industry, and businesses must stay up to date to remain competitive. This article explores emerging technology trends in tourism, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

For businesses in the tourism industry, staying up to date is the key. Technology is an essential part of the tourism and travel industry as it continues to evolve. Businesses therefore need to position themselves ever more digitally in order to acquire, retain and entertain customers. Two factors that will shape tourism in the coming years are technology and sustainability . In this blog post, NeedNect Solutions presents emerging technology trends in tourism.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality has conquered the entertainment market in recent years. Innovative hotels have already recognised the technology as one of the most promising tech travel trends. VR (Virtual Reality) allows travellers to digitally enter the virtual environment of a place. It makes it possible, for example, to access destinations that are difficult to reach.

Several hotel chains are already experimenting with this technology. They allow their customers to experience their hotel room during the booking process before they have ever physically been there. Whereas in the past it was professional photos of the accommodation that decided on a booking, in the future it will be virtual tours.

Increasingly, robots are being used in the tourism industry - from reception to security robots and robotic travel cases. Robots are machines designed to perform specific tasks and processes automatically and accurately. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to perform complex tasks that require human cognitive functions.

Robots have become almost commonplace in the travel industry in recent years, providing text-based customer service and more physical interactions. Without a doubt, robots have certain advantages over human employees:

• more consistency,
• the ability to work around the clock,
• the ability to work without holidays, breaks or salary...

On the other hand, there are the disadvantages:

• they may take away jobs,
• they can't adapt to unforeseen events,
• they are very expensive to buy,
• longer-term maintenance costs are incurred

Nevertheless, it must be said: robots can never completely replace humans. In a hotel, hospitality and empathy are the focus. Man and machine should complement each other and offer relief for employees. In the future, it could be an additional attraction.

Smart Rooms

Smart room technology is an important trend for hotel owners. This technology is driven by the Internet of Things (IoT). This means that once ordinary devices are now equipped with internet connectivity. This allows data to be sent, received and effectively communicated with each other.

The variations of this technology application are many. In a hotel, it may be a device connected to the lighting, heating and air conditioning systems. Everything is controlled according to the wishes and needs of the guest. This in turn results in cost savings and thus an improved financial situation.

The benefits of smart rooms are more personalisation, improved sustainability and an enhanced customer experience.

Chatbots & Artificial Intelligence

This technology is used by tourism businesses to offer quick response times to basic questions. Opening hours, admission prices, directions and similar standard enquiries can thus be answered 24/7 and within a few seconds. The goal is to solve complex tasks. Through developments in the field of artificial intelligence, chatbots are now much more capable of being an intelligent interface between people, machines, information or services.

The future holds a multitude of new technologies. Those who want to survive in tourism in the long term must be innovative and flexible enough to meet these trends.

The consumers' desire for comfort, adventure and experience will remain. However, smart devices and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly important. Due to technological changes and improvements, individual needs of guests can be satisfied through unimagined possibilities. Individual experiences will therefore play an even greater role in the future. If the hotel already knows the guest before arrival, customised offers and experiences can be created.

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Is virtual tourism the new way to travel the world?

A new proposal for virtual tourism using livestreaming and mathematical techniques could help revitalise an industry that has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic

In a new proposal published in  Cell Patterns , scientists from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University suggest using data science to improve on existing television and internet-based tourism experiences.

Their technique involves measuring and then digitising the curvatures and angles of objects and the distances between them using drone footage, photos and videos, and could make virtual tourism experiences more realistic for viewers and help revitalise the tourism industry from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic .

The tourism economy has been one of the worst-hit industries by the COVID-19 outbreak. Depending on the duration of the crisis, data indicates that the potential shock could range between a 60-80% decline in the international tourism economy in 2020.

To combat the decline in the sector, researchers are suggesting proposed technology such as LAPO, or Live Streaming with Actual Proportionality of Objects. LAPO employs both information geometry, the measures of an object’s curvatures, angles and area, and conformal mapping, which uses the measures of angles between the curves of an object and accounts for the distance between objects, to make images of people, places and things seem more real.

Arni S.R. Srinivasa Rao, a mathematical modeller and Director of the medical school’s Laboratory for Theory and Mathematical Modelling, said: “This is about having a new kind of technology that uses advanced mathematical techniques to turn digitised data, captured live at a tourist site, into more realistic photos and videos with more of a feel for the location than you would get watching a movie or documentary.

“When you go see the Statue of Liberty for instance, you stand on the bank of the Hudson River and look at it. When you watch a video of it, you can only see the object from one angle. When you measure and preserve multiple angles and digitise that in video form, you could visualise it from multiple angles. You would feel like you’re there while you’re sitting at home.”

The proposed combination of techniques is novel, “Information geometry has seen wide applications in physics and economics, but the angle preservation of the captured footage is never applied,” Rao says.

Making tourism cheaper and safer

The researchers suggest the virtual tourism technology could help mediate some of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the tourism industry and offer other advantages.

Benefits from this technology include cost-effectiveness because virtual tourism would be cheaper; health safety, because it can be done from the comfort of home; time saving, eliminating travel times; it’s accessibility, tourism hotspots that are not routinely accessible to seniors or those with physical disabilities .

The technology would also make tourism safer and more secure, eliminating risks like becoming a victim of crime while travelling; and it requires no special equipment, a standard home computer with a graphics card and internet access is all that’s needed to enjoy a “virtual trip.”

“Virtual tourism (also) creates new employment opportunities for virtual tour guides, interpreters, drone pilots, videographers and photographers, as well as those building the new equipment for virtual tourism,” the authors write.

Next steps involve looking for investors and partners in the hospitality, tourism and technology industries.

If the pandemic continues for several more months, the World Travel and Tourism Council projects a global loss of 75 million jobs and $2.1 trillion in revenue.

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12 Best Virtual Museum Tours to Get Your Culture Fix

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With safety protocols in place to stay home and avoid crowds, many operations have been halted, including museum tours. You may have had travel plans that included visits to museums that have now been canceled. Thanks to ever-evolving technology, you can still have your cultural fix in the comfort of your home through virtual museum tours.

We’ve compiled a list of the best digital tours offered by world-class art and science museums, not just in the country but all over the world!

What Is a Virtual Museum Tour?

Virtual museum tours allow you to experience being inside museums, looking at the exhibits, and walking their hallways through digital displays. Think of it like an MMORPG where you get to move your character within a virtual world. Some of the exhibits are interactive—which means you can click on items, and they will provide you with information about an art piece or a scientific display. They can sometimes even be animated!

These tours are either guided or to be explored on your own, much like in real museums. They offer audio guides or, sometimes, digital tour guides that you can see, depending on the museum’s features.

So, what are the best museum tours that you can enjoy on your computer? Here are the best 12 we’ve listed based on variety, features, and accessibility.

1. The Getty Museum

The J Paul Getty Museum in LA, California, is one of the best when it comes to virtual museum tours. It offers a whole range of artistic pieces, some dating back over 6,000 years. It houses some works by Van Gogh, and the graphics are incredibly breathtaking that you will feel like you are looking at the actual artwork. You will also see some sculptures that are originally curated outdoors, photographs, and more. This digital tour is also accessible through the Google Arts and Culture tool.

2. The Vatican Museum

Another great place to see digital exhibits of actual artifacts and artworks is the Vatican Museum in Rome, Italy. Even non-religious people flock to this museum for its beauty and grandeur. You can marvel at the famous ceiling by the great Michaelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. It also offers a virtual tour guide to fill you in with essential details about the artifacts and art pieces.

3. Van Gogh Museum

For fans of one of the most beloved artists of our time, Vincent Van Gogh, you can now visit this famous site dedicated to him in Amsterdam. Here, you can see over 200 paintings and even his letters and drawings. Access the digital tour through Google Arts and Culture tool.

4. Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)

This museum in New York, right down 53rd Street, Manhattan, also offers virtual tours. Take a look around and explore some of the most famous artworks, including some of Van Gogh’s works. The exhibit houses over 150,000 paintings, and you will also have the chance to digitally interact with sculptures and architect models, complete with 360 views.

5. Guggenheim Museum

Another popular spot in New York is the Guggenheim Museum, where you can walk around picturesque staircases and hallways right from your desktop. It also has an enormous collection of impressionist and contemporary art. You take the tour from up the museum, moving downward. You will be moving as though you are playing a game from the first-person perspective.

6. British Museum

The first national museum in the world now offers virtual tours for everyone located anywhere. Here, you will learn about human history, allowing you to interact with artifacts from different eras. See the Rosetta Stone and other marvelous creations from thousands of years ago!

7. National Palace Museum

Suppose you want to travel to Asia and see one of its most popular cultural destinations, head over to the National Palace Museum’s website. This Taipei museum offers exhibits boasting 700,000 pieces from 8,000 years ago, especially Chinese artifacts.

8. Art Institute of Chicago

One of the largest museums in the US, the Art Institute of Chicago offers virtual tours that will take you 5,000 years back to see art creations from all over the world. Explore over 300,000 artworks from the 11 categories. Another great thing, especially for students, is that you can participate in take-home projects, and educators can also take hold of resources from the museum.

9. The Broad

Another wonder in Los Angeles, CA, is The Broad. It’s a contemporary museum housing almost 2,000 pieces of modern art. See the works of 200 modern artists and be in awe! Step inside its amazing Infinity Mirror room while listening to relaxing music.

10. Grand Palais

Been dreaming of going to Paris, France, to marvel at its beautiful artworks? Now you can, with its virtual museum tour! The Grand Palais lets you have a look around its massive exhibition hall and even participate in some of its virtual art fairs and events. Watch the exhibits come to life right at the comfort of your home.

11. High Museum of Art

This museum in Atlanta, Georgia, may not be the biggest but still offers an exciting collection that you can now view virtually. It showcases American art from the 19th to 20th century. You will also see some European paintings, African art, and contemporary photography.

12. Hermitage Museum

Ah, one of the most pictured museums on Instagram is the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is the second-largest in the world and is a dream destination for those who love culture and the arts. See the Madonna Litta by Leonardo Da Vinci as well as works by Rembrandt and many more!

Will You See All Exhibits in the Museums?

Unfortunately, due to limitations in technology and exclusivity of access to some of the pieces, you may not be able to see all the exhibits in these virtual tours. However, it is still a great privilege even just to take a peek at these marvelous creations and artifacts!

Why Visit a Virtual Museum?

The most important reason why it’s good to visit a virtual museum is to never stop learning. It’s a great application of VR in education to help with these troubled times. With all the restrictions in place these days, access to cultural experiences is limited. Virtual museum tours will help you be immersed in the arts and marvel at the scientific progress humans have made over the years.

Apart from that, it’s just a fun experience and it will prepare you for the live tours once these establishments reopen!

Final Thoughts

WC Williams wrote, “It is difficult to get the news from poems yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there.” You can say that the same is true for all forms of art. Virtual museum tours help us to not lose touch with this side of our humanity. So, try some of the digital tours above and get your culture fix today!

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U of I Students Earn Top Awards for Music Education

April 16, 2024.

MOSCOW, Idaho — A University of Idaho student has received the Professional Achievement Award from the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the U of I collegiate chapter of NAfME received the Chapter of Excellence Award for Service in April.

Alexis Gist of Veradale, Washington, is a senior at Lionel Hampton School of Music and 2023-24 president of the Idaho Collegiate NAfME chapters. She has been a tireless advocate for music education and works to connect performers and educators through opportunities to teach, perform and inspire musicians of all ages. Gist is an accomplished flautist and served as a section leader in the Vandal Marching Band. She will graduate in May. 

The U of I collegiate chapter of NAfME is made up of more than 30 students from Lionel Hampton School of Music. Over a period of several weeks, they worked closely with Lapwai Middle/High School where they cleaned and inventoried school band instruments, made simple instrument repairs, labeled those that needed professional repair and organized the instruments. This service project contributed to the revival of the school’s band program which hadn't met since 2014.

“I am so very proud of our CNAfME Chapter leadership and members and their hard work in planning and executing service projects, educational opportunities, and social gatherings for our music education community,” said Lori Conlon Khan, advisor to the group and a clinical associate professor at Lionel Hampton School of Music. “These students are well on their way to becoming awesome music educators,” she said.

For information about Lionel Hampton School of Music, visit uidaho.edu/music .

Media Contact:

Kelly O’Neill Media Relations, Department of Theatre Arts University of Idaho 208-885-6465 [email protected]

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The University of Idaho, home of the Vandals, is Idaho’s land-grant, national research university. From its residential campus in Moscow, U of I serves the state of Idaho through educational centers in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Idaho Falls, nine research and Extension centers, plus Extension offices in 42 counties. Home to nearly 11,000 students statewide, U of I is a leader in student-centered learning and excels at interdisciplinary research, service to businesses and communities, and in advancing diversity, citizenship and global outreach. U of I competes in the Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences. Learn more at uidaho.edu .