VR/AR in Tourism: A Synthesis of Methodologies and Emerging Contexts
A systematic review reveals that while VR and AR are increasingly explored in tourism, research often lacks theoretical grounding and faces challenges in consistent terminology and usability.
Current Issues in Tourism · 2017
Key Findings
- 01Marketing and tourism education are the most common contexts for VR/AR research in tourism.
- 02There is heterogeneity in terminology usage for VR/AR technologies.
- 03A lack of theory-based research is prevalent in VR/AR tourism studies.
- 04Identified research gaps include challenges related to technology awareness, usability, and time commitment.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing VR/AR experiences for tourism, ensure clear communication of features and benefits, and rigorously test for usability to overcome user adoption barriers.
How to apply
When conceptualizing a VR/AR tourism product, conduct a thorough review of existing research to understand common pitfalls and successful approaches, particularly concerning user interaction and information presentation.
Project actions
- 01When researching VR/AR for your design project, look for studies that use clear definitions and test usability thoroughly.
- 02Consider how your design can help overcome common user challenges like understanding the technology or finding it easy to use.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Systematic approach ensures comprehensive coverage of the literature.
- +Addresses multiple facets of VR/AR research in tourism, including contexts, methodologies, and gaps.
Limitations
The findings are based on academic literature from before 2017, so newer developments in VR/AR technology and tourism applications might not be covered.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of this review is enhanced by its systematic methodology. Validity is supported by the synthesis of multiple studies, though it is limited by the scope of the literature searched and the subjective interpretation of findings.
Think critically
Given the identified lack of theory-based research, how can designers proactively integrate theoretical frameworks into the development and evaluation of VR/AR tourism experiences to enhance their effectiveness and impact?
Design Principles
"Standardize terminology and rigorously test for usability in immersive technology design."
Understanding the current landscape of VR/AR research in tourism is crucial for designers and developers aiming to create effective and engaging experiences. Identifying common contexts and methodological approaches can inform future design projects and highlight areas ripe for innovation.
What This Means for Your Design
This study looked at lots of papers about VR and AR in travel. It found that most research is about selling travel or teaching about it, but people don't always agree on what to call VR/AR, and the research isn't always based on strong theories. It also found that people find VR/AR hard to use sometimes and don't always know about it.
How to use in your project
- 1.Cite this review when discussing the current state of VR/AR research in tourism, particularly when highlighting common contexts or identified challenges.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2017). New realities: a systematic literature review on virtual reality and augmented reality in tourism research. Current Issues in Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2017.1417359 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/54cd412e-fa38-49d8-bf2b-3bba5b651a6b/vr-ar-in-tourism-a-synthesis-of-methodologies-and-emerging-contexts
Paragraph starter
A systematic literature review by Yung and Khoo-Lattimore (2017) synthesized 46 manuscripts on VR/AR in tourism, revealing that while marketing and education are common contexts, research often suffers from inconsistent terminology and a lack of theoretical grounding. Key challenges identified included technology awareness and usability, suggesting areas for focused design and development efforts.
Source
Current Issues in Tourism
New realities: a systematic literature review on virtual reality and augmented reality in tourism research
journal · 2017
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about vr/ar in tourism: a synthesis of methodologies and emerging contexts?
- When designing VR/AR experiences for tourism, ensure clear communication of features and benefits, and rigorously test for usability to overcome user adoption barriers. Evidence: Current Issues in Tourism (2017).
- Why does "VR/AR in Tourism: A Synthesis of Methodologies and Emerging Contexts" matter for design?
- Understanding the current landscape of VR/AR research in tourism is crucial for designers and developers aiming to create effective and engaging experiences. Identifying common contexts and methodological approaches can inform future design projects and highlight areas ripe for innovation.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing VR/AR experiences for tourism, ensure clear communication of features and benefits, and rigorously test for usability to overcome user adoption barriers.
- What were the main findings?
- Marketing and tourism education are the most common contexts for VR/AR research in tourism.. There is heterogeneity in terminology usage for VR/AR technologies.. A lack of theory-based research is prevalent in VR/AR tourism studies.. Identified research gaps include challenges related to technology awareness, usability, and time commitment.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Literature Review with 46 manuscripts.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2017 journal from Current Issues in Tourism.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When conceptualizing a VR/AR tourism product, conduct a thorough review of existing research to understand common pitfalls and successful approaches, particularly concerning user interaction and information presentation.
- What are the limitations?
- The review is limited to academic literature published up to 2017 and may not capture the most recent advancements or industry-specific applications.
- Is there evidence that tourism affects design outcomes?
- The review found that most VR/AR research in tourism focuses on marketing and education, but struggles with consistent language and a strong theoretical basis, with usability and awareness being key challenges. Understanding the current landscape of VR/AR research in tourism is crucial for designers and developers aimi Source: Current Issues in Tourism (2017).
- Where does this synthesis methodologies research apply?
- Tourism and Hospitality It sits within modelling research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
tourism design research · evidence on tourism · does tourism improve design outcomes · synthesis methodologies studies for designers · tourism and synthesis methodologies findings · modelling research evidence