As we enter an unprecedented era of technology offering AI and virtual reality with quicker speeds and even greater resolution in graphics. There has been a massive rise in virtual tours recently. Whether it's a 360-degree view of the Grand Canyon or walking around The Louvre in Paris, you'll soon be able to experience these tours from the comfort of your couch. But will these modern-day tech-savvy tours take over from the actual tour, or could it be the answer to over-tourism as our population grows?
My view is simple: While these virtual tours will help with planning and research, they can never replace a real tour. I can see these tours becoming increasingly popular for those planning specific trips.
There is just no way a virtual tour can capture the raw emotions, deep feelings and sadness of visiting Auschwitz or the confined space of the Anne Frank House as they hid from the Nazi invasion. You'll never truly feel the grandeur of the Grand Canyon or smell the flowers at many Botanical Gardens. You'll never feel the uneven surface underfoot in Pompei from the thousands of year-old stones.
These are the senses that fulfil our emotions and create authentic experiences.
This type of technology definitely has a role in our tourism experience. Take Pompeii, for example. The archaeological site is expansive, uneven, and challenging to navigate without a tour guide. Virtual tours can help you plan your path through these sites and improve your knowledge of the toilet location and other essential services that are needed. Virtual tours of the Louvre in Paris might help you navigate the crowds better to the works you'd like to see, or a virtual tour of the Colosseum in Rome might show you where there is a better vantage point to view the inside.
Virtual tours have benefits, but they will never truly replace the emotion and feelings of experiencing our world first-hand. However, they will be an essential travel planning tool of the future.
This link to a new virtual tour—a virtual LIVE tour of Auschwitz led by a Holocaust Educator with Q&A—is a good example of the advancements in this technology.
About the Author
Unless otherwise noted, the author of this blog has no affiliation with any property or business linked in this article. Unless otherwise noted, no free accommodation or payment from any companies exists. The information in this blog is strictly the views of the author and not professional advice. The author of this BookDirect blog is a travel and tourism professional with over 30 years of experience in international hotel management, global travel, short-term rental management and a tourism awards judge specialising in accommodation and attractions.
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