Reopening for Business Post-COVID-19: Augmented Reality as a Strategy for Attracting Visitors to a Tourist Destination

Abstract

Critical thoughts about tourist destinations overcoming and mitigating impacts from COVID-19 lie in the opportunities created by the pandemic. In this paper, an innovative way to attract tourists to Madeira Island and specifically for the Caminho Real (CR) is proposed, assisted by augmented reality. There are important considerations for developing software suitable for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; values and benefits for sustainable tourism development and for being an educational experience respecting social distancing; and services included in the augmented reality application. Therefore, some propositions are presented to evaluate the possibility of augmented reality as a secure opportunity to show historical, cultural, and ethnographic aspects when visiting a tourist destination, while respecting social-distancing constraints.

A ten-year review analysis of the impact of digitization on tourism development (2012–2022)

“…Tourism satisfaction is directly related to tourism experience, and tourism experience is one of the most important criteria to measure in the tourism process. The findings suggest that using virtual immersion technologies such as AR, VR, and MR in the tourism process can significantly improve the tourist experience (Bae et al, 2020;Fernandez-Lores et al, 2022;Franco and Mota, 2021;Lee and Kim, 2021;Yin et al, 2021).…”

“…Tourism planners and governments can use the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information system-remote sensing (GIS-RS) technology to accurately select sites, develop eco-tourism activities, relieve the burden of tourism in the region, and thus help the locals create new employment opportunities (Chaudhary et al, n.d.). Virtual tourism technology, such as AR, can also aid in analyzing tourist flow and conditions, improve safety, and expand job chances (Franco and Mota, 2021). Advances and innovations in tourism ICT can benefit enterprises enough to increase job prospects (De Lucia et al, 2021).…”

From Earlier Exploration to Advanced Applications: Bibliometric and Systematic Review of Augmented Reality in the Tourism Industry (2002–2022)

“…The most recent stage in the development of AR in tourism is characterized by the use of big data to enhance AR experiences [38], and the growing importance of sustainability in the industry [8]. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an acceleration in the adoption of AR for virtual tourism [39], offering new possibilities for survival and recovery in the sector [40]. Furthermore, artificial intelligence has increasingly been integrated into AR applications, creating more personalized and dynamic experiences for tourists [41].…”

Tourism and Conservation Empowered by Augmented Reality: A Scientometric Analysis Based on the Science Tree Metaphor

“…This exemplifies how virtual technologies can be effectively integrated into landscapes and heritage environments, enriching our understanding and appreciation of cultural and natural sites. Franco [113] highlights how augmented reality can be used as a strategy to attract visitors to tourist destinations. This demonstrates how these technologies can play a crucial role in revitalizing the tourism industry, particularly in a post-pandemic world, by offering interactive and engaging experiences to travelers.…”