UNF associate professor says findings could easily apply to Niagara Falls tourism industry
Imagine experiencing the thrill of ziplining over Niagara Falls or witnessing fog roll through a vineyard as the sun rises in Niagara-on-the-Lake without having to leave the comfort of your own home.
Immersive technology, like virtual reality and the Metaverse, means these experiences can now be shared on a wider scale and a new collaborative research article explores the impact this could have on the tourism industry.
University of Niagara Falls Canada Master of Management professor Sana Mumtaz coauthored a paper on the topic, ‘Unveiling Opportunities and Challenges of the Metaverse in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector: A Qualitative Investigation’, recently published in the Tourism and Hospitality Management Journal. Her coauthors on the paper were Boutayna Zerryi Andaloussi and Abderrahim Laachach, both from the International Higher Institute of Tourism of Tangier.
To understand the usefulness of immersive technologies in the hospitality industry, a qualitative research approach was used, and interviews were conducted with fifteen industry experts who were actively involved in Morocco’s tourism and hospitality sector. The findings suggest several opportunities associated with the usefulness of metaverse and virtual reality for promoting tourist destinations through immersive and personalized virtual experiences.
In particular, this research highlights how the utilization of immersive technologies may offer a breakthrough opportunity to create captivating digital experiences for customers in the hospitality sector.
Mumtaz said these findings can easily be applied to the hotel and tourism industry in the Niagara region, who could benefit from using metaverse and virtual reality technologies to create personalized digital experiences for tourists.
“For instance, by providing virtual reality experiences of local attractions like Niagara Falls, wineries, and historical sites, hotels can give guests a preview of what they can explore during their stay. Hotels may also offer simulations of adventure activities available in the Niagara region, such as zip-lining over the falls, helicopter rides, or hiking along scenic trails,” she said. “These previews can excite potential tourists about the adventurous opportunities available in Niagara and will boost tourism in this region with time.”
The research also identified potential challenges that organizations may face while implementing immersive technologies in the hospitality sector. In this regard, digital divide, lack of skills development, digital infrastructure limitations as well as cost, security, data protection, and accessibility challenges emerge as the key barriers in the implementation process.
