Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The global tourism industry has significantly grown in the past few years.It gained around 10% of the world's GDP, which marks around $10.9 trillion in 2024.Besides this, particularly focusing on technological and experiential aspects of the industry, it stands at a critical stage which needs to redefine the needs of the overall industry.Among technologies, VR has played an extensive role in the tourism industry by making a significant contribution of $10 billion in 2024 and is expected to gain a CAGR 30% in the next ten years.North America and Asia Pacific countries dominate the VR tourism industry, contributing in the form of hardware development to transforming the software needs of the industry.Adopting such technologies is a key driver for economic diversification, sustainable growth and resilience, especially for developing countries like Pakistan, which already have an enriched nature and diverse culture.Although VR tourism has been widely explored in prior literature, it continues to evolve in the recent era, where industry stakeholders are studying more about immersive experiences through the adoption of VR.This not only sparks interest and curiosity among travellers but also helps people who cannot travel for any reason, including lack of finances, cultural barriers, or health issues.Moreover, another interesting aspect VR tourism has created is travelling to past experiences.Events from history are nowadays another interesting creation of VR travel and tourism.Various countries are now promoting their religious and cultural events through VR tourism, as people are attached to them nostalgically and religiously.From an environmental perspective, virtual tourism supports eco-friendly choices.It gives an alternative for places with sensitive environments or limited resources, reducing the physical impact of travel.At the same time, it creates value through online ticket sales, digital innovation, and engaging story-based platforms.
Author: Hasan, Zaki
Institution: Ziauddin University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7109820462
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