Virtual reality

Virtual reality is a form of information technology which enables users to navigate in computer-simulated environments. They are immersed in an interactive three-dimensional digital representation of places or real-world scenarios. Various activities or tasks can be engaged in for practical, educational, communicative, or entertainment purposes. In tourism, virtual reality represents remote online destination experiences visually by providing users with frontal, panoramic, and non-ordinary views augmented with maps, sound effects, narration, and/or music. Augmented reality superimposes sound, video, graphics, or GPS onto features of the physical environment via mobile devices in real time. Context-aware applications project commercial and historical information and touristic narratives through the view seen in users’ handheld device. Virtual and augmented realities both require the use of a computer device and the internet.

The virtual tour is used in eTourism for destination imagemanagement...