Will VR-tourism really replace the traditional physical tourism???

In as much as Virtual Reality will disrupt the tourism industry, I don’t believe it will do so as much as exclaim it will.

I think we are still clouded by the ‘excitement’ of VR so much that we can’t help but think it’s better than anything we’ve experienced. Besides, humans have always been fascinated by the concept of teleportation and this kinda comes close to it.

Nevertheless, just so I don’t sound like I made a decision without looking at the other side of the coin, I will go ahead and list 4 of pros of VR-tourism.

Reduces the danger

The obvious advantage of VR is how it can make exploring safe. Of course danger can be averted by watching videos or viewing pictures of the place, but it’s not as engaging. So say for people who want to experience the Serengeti but have had a scare from all the tv programs that show people being wounded or killed by buffalos, VR-tourism would be the best option.  With VR, one can have a more immersing experience of a place and still be safe. So even for experiences like rollercoaster rides (yes, VR is that immersing) or other much more dangerous experiences like airplane wing walking etc, VR is the way to go.

You can literally go anywhere, well as long as if the camera’s been there

This might sound similar to the first point but you can trust that I since placed it under two different subheadings, it’s not. Well, there are places where humans want to be but are afraid to be and then there are places where humans want to be but can’t. The former relates to the point above while the latter relates to this point. So basically, with VR people can tour environments that are not human-friendly like the space, deep down the sea and etcetera…. of course only possible if the camera has been there.

It’s Cheaper

This probably should have been the first point, who doesn’t want to use less for the same quality???Well, of course it’s never really the same quality but you get my point. Tourism VR kits being more advanced than our Google cardboards and the like, this obviously mean the prices will be high, but definitely not as high as the actual travel.

Saves on time

Well, travelling generally takes a lot of time; from the packing process, boarding, walking from place to place and all. Now imagine just having to compress that 9+ hour long flight to the Egyptian pyramids into just a about 5-10 mins of setting up your VR headsets. Also, not only does it save on time, but on all the other hustles that come with travelling.

So yes, I do acknowledge VR is cool and all, but I find it hard to believe that it will ‘replace’ the actual physical travel/tour.  Come to think of it, for adrenaline junkies, VR won’t suffice. Yes, I get that it can trick the mind into thinking the illusion is actually real, but only to a certain extent. Fact that you know that you’re in a controlled environment can clip the adventure a bit.

Sometimes people like travelling to be away and meet new people altogether; live the culture; and to top it up, eat their native food cooked. Well, none of that cannot be simulated, especially with all these AI advancements. But the same reason why people generally choose an original over a fake even when they have more or less the same characteristics, is the same reason why people will continue to choose the traditional ways of touring over VR-tourism.

So essentially, I think VR tourism will do a great deal as a marketing strategy or teaser, but definitely not as a replacement.