IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/rcitxx/v29y2026i8p1499-1505.html

When the real meets the virtual: the perceived function and added value of virtual reality before, during, and after cultural tourism experiences

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Pichierri
  • Luca Petruzzellis

Abstract

This paper delves into consumers’ perceptions about the perceived function and added value of virtual reality (VR) in cultural tourism experiences. It examines these opinions across three distinct phases: before, during, and after the visit. Drawing insights from a sample of 30 semi-structured interviews collected across four Italian destinations, this study sheds light on how VR impacts the cultural tourism journey. By illuminating the visitor perspective, the findings highlight the various ways in which VR could enhance tourists’ engagement with and understanding of cultural sites, thereby enriching their experience and boosting satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Pichierri & Luca Petruzzellis, 2026. "When the real meets the virtual: the perceived function and added value of virtual reality before, during, and after cultural tourism experiences," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(8), pages 1499-1505, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rcitxx:v:29:y:2026:i:8:p:1499-1505
    DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2025.2535560
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/13683500.2025.2535560
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/13683500.2025.2535560?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:rcitxx:v:29:y:2026:i:8:p:1499-1505. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/rcit .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.