Title:	MANAGING METAVERSE COMPLEXITIES IN TOURISM
Author(s):	Teresa Dieguez and Conceição Castro
ISBN:	978-989-8704-63-4
Editors:	Adriana Backx Noronha Viana and Pedro Isaías
Year:	2024
Edition:	Single
Keywords:	Tourism, Management, Industry 4.0, Metaverse, Co-creation
Type:	Regulars
First Page:	3
Last Page:	8
Language:	English
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Full Contents:	click to dowload
Paper Abstract:	This research investigates the potential opportunities and challenges that Metaverse brings to the tourism industry. The quick evolution of digital technology and the omnipresent impact of the Internet are redesigning tourism decision-making processes and business models, intensifying competition and customer expectations. This study aims to understand the effect of the Metaverse on traditional tourism and physical travel, its potential to replicate or substitute the emotional and experiential aspects of real-life travel, its role in fostering more inclusive and accessible tourism for vulnerable groups, its potential to provide solutions to the environmental and sustainability challenges facing traditional tourism, and how stakeholders are addressing these emerging topics. The findings reveal that while the Metaverse provides substantial opportunities—such as enhanced marketing tools, deeper customer engagement, and novel avenues for co-created experiences—the adoption of Metaverse-based strategies is complicated by conflicts among stakeholders, including tourism operators, technology providers, and regulatory bodies. Key areas of contention include revenue distribution, data privacy, and the risk of cultural commodification. Moreover, the implementation of Metaverse technology in tourism is hindered by technological barriers such as limited user accessibility to advanced VR equipment, inconsistent digital infrastructure across regions, and significant gaps in regulatory standards. Nonetheless, the Metaverse promises new forms of interaction and sustainable practices, though its potential remains largely untapped. Future research should investigate hybrid tourism models that blend physical and virtual experiences, supported by government initiatives to expand digital literacy, create standards, and develop policies specific to virtual tourism.
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