Destinations, virtual reality and COVID-19. How isolation has shaped the behaviours and attitudes towards VR

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) has been a research subject since the 1990s. Subsequently, the possibilities of applying this technology to various industries have been a subject of debates. While the tourism industry has not been an exception, a marked increase in interest is a recent phenomenon. One of the reasons for this is the unexpected pandemic that, in a way, has forced the tourism industry to search for alternative ways of communicating destinations and reducing the distance between destinations and tourists. The uncertainty of the situation and the change in tourist behaviour as an effect of COVID-19 have prompted the search for new tools to interact with tourists and influence their decisions. The new circumstances might also influence how people evaluate VR tools. The main aim of this paper is thus to diagnose the attitudes and behaviours towards VR during isolation, as well as to present their possible implications for destinations. The research results show that VR has the potential to extend the boundaries of tourism and destinations’ activities, and COVID-19 has played a role in shaping people’s attitudes and behaviours towards VR.