Digitalisation and Cultural Heritage Tourism in Asia: Stepping in Without Stepping Out

Abstract

During the early years of the 2020s, large parts of the world came to a standstill instigated by COVID-19. The pandemic dramatically affected people’s mobility, including intensive lockdowns, border closures, and prohibition of local and international travel. These restrictions had dramatic implications for tourism, particularly for destinations that live from it and need it to survive. Locations, particularly with cultural heritage attractions such as monuments, historical buildings, archaeological sites, landscapes, urban ensembles, and sites known for their customs, folklore, oral and performing traditions, and religious manifestations, suffered the consequences. While digital leisure experiences cannot replace in-person visits, recent developments in digitalisation, such as 360-degree technology, virtual and augmented reality, and gaming, both ‘serious’—video games designed for educational objectives—and for pure entertainment, are increasingly impacting how we visit, interact with and consume cultural heritage. This chapter investigates the latest trends in digitalisation in its application to cultural heritage tourism in Asia, particularly in contexts of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, where in-person opportunities to engage with cultural heritage assets are significatively reduced. The chapter argues that, albeit initially largely unintentional, the push for these new technologies during the pandemic has generated more sustainable and equal access paths to cultural heritage assets, particularly for visitors with limited means or mobility.

For the purpose of this chapter, the use of Asia corresponds to the distinct UNESCO definition of the Asia and the Pacific region (APAC), which includes Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Australia, and Oceania.