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MORE than nine months since the coronavirus pandemic has “dragged” a lot into the digital space, travel restrictions and bans have created a new destination in the tourism industry, namely virtual tourism. Born with the term virtual tourism, this new tourist destination is defined as a hybrid concept that combines virtual reality (VR) ideas and technology with tourism.
In essence, virtual tourism facilitates the travel experience without you having to travel anywhere thanks to the help of digital technology. This is nothing new, actually, only recently developed rapidly when the pandemic “forces”.
In the tourism industry, initially VR was widely used as a promotional tool. Destination management organizations (DMOs), tour operators, and tourist attractions have used VR as a means of promotion, hoping that it will lure tourists and bring in new business.
In the next phase, this new way of traveling developed into a means to enhance the new experiences of tourists in traveling. From the introduction of 5D rides in amusement parks to sensory activities implemented in museums, various tourist attractions have increased visitor satisfaction with virtual tourism.
Now, since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out throughout 2020, virtual tourism that utilizes VR technology has moved into an even higher phase. Virtual tours have replaced physical tours as a result of lockdowns and lockdowns in different parts of the world.
Social restrictions and cross-border travel bans are encouraging people to turn to virtual tourism, and this new experience is increasingly being adopted by world and private tourist destination managers who are seeing this new business opportunity.
Virtual travel now even lets you go on impossible adventures via virtual means. People who do not have enough money to physically fly to Italy can now visit the Pisa tower from the sofa in their home.
Or, people who do not have the ability to swim can now do deep sea dives without touching the water, fly over favorite cities, climb the summit of Everest, even walk on the moon.
New challenges
Virtual tourism, which offers a virtual experience (VE) and virtual reality (VR), which is growing rapidly, is clearly a new challenge for Indonesian tourism. Challenges which of course also bring new opportunities there.
Virtual tourism not only has implications for increasing people’s experience of traveling, doing things that are impossible in the physical world, but also consideration of cost will be the reason people do that.
You can imagine, what if later people prefer virtual tours instead of physical, or at least many reduce physical tourism by considering costs. This must be answered and observed because tourism foreign exchange flows due to physical visits.
Not to mention, the livelihoods of people around tourist destinations who usually benefit from shopping by tourists, whether they eat, stay overnight, buy clothes or clothes, to buy a bracelet that costs only IDR5,000.
Yes, this is another form of disruption due to technological developments, apart from fintech in the financial industry, online transportation services in the transportation industry, a marketplace that pampers people to shop from home and “cripples” offline shops, and many more.
It is these challenges that must be immediately studied and answered by tourism industry players in Indonesia, as well as by the government, in order to protect one of the foreign exchange reserves in addition to livelihoods for residents, MSMEs, and local businesses around tourist destinations.
The corona virus pandami has plunged the world’s tourism sector, and Indonesia – through the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy – recorded only 160 thousand foreign tourists visiting in January-April 2020, while the same period in 2019 reached 1.3 million people.
National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) projects that Indonesia’s tourism sector will lose 12 million tourists year on year, while the foreign exchange lost is US$15 billion or approximately IDR219 trillion in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Strengths and weaknesses
We do not need to worry too much about the rapid development of virtual tourism, although domestic industry players must anticipate it well. Apart from its considerable advantages, the disadvantages of virtual tourism are also believed to be a factor that this new method will not replace the feeling of physical tours associated with human nature as social beings.
Virtual tourism is definitely a positive impact on the environment because it reduces the harmful effects of CO2 emissions because people don’t need to take a plane or motorized vehicle to get to their destination.
The virtual experience on offer also provides more freedom and flexibility than a physical tour. You can go to Africa to enjoy a nature safari tour in “snap” without having to get off the sofa in your pajamas.
Then, in addition to low cost, virtual tours are also believed by many to be a stimulus for physical tours. So, it will not necessarily “turn off” physical tourism but will instead encourage people to visit certain places after they have explored it through a virtual experience.
It should also be noted that virtual tourism has not been accessible to everyone so far because not everyone has access to digital devices and adequate internet connections.
Given the fact that economic benefits are the main reason tourism is developed in many regions, many countries will continue to encourage physical tourism to generate many economic benefits for the nation. So, we are not alone.
Lastly, is the fact that virtual tourism has limited social interactions. Although the creation of virtual tours with full-featured interactions between tourists will be developed, represented by your avatar in the digital space, physical interactions are still not perfectly replaced by technology.
Starting from the advantages and disadvantages of virtual tourism, tourism industry players in Indonesia should remain optimistic that technology will be a complementary benefit for all parties.
Without neglecting and continuing to anticipate and adopt increasingly fast-moving technological developments, the Indonesian tourism industry must continue to grow, rise, especially after the post-pandemic, and provide many benefits for the country and nation. [antaranews/photo special]
