Abstract
Destination and tourism product managers often face challenges in marketing tourism destinations due to their characterization as both a product and a service. Tourism marketing literature relates these challenges to tourism destinations being viewed as products, with the probability of a first or repeat sale being heavily dependent on intangible services delivery metrics – particularly, the probability that expectations will be exceeded, reputational risks associated with poor quality and unskilled services, and other occupational health and safety hazards. Technologies embedded in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), however, produces unique opportunities for tourism destination development by improving the marketability of tourism products/assets. Particularly, the unique immersive characteristics of Virtual Reality (VR) technology as an innovative tool in destination and tourism product marketing to increase patronage and, hence, visit-based spending at the destination - which is crucial for local economic development and the tourism industry.
The study is divided into stage 1 which developed a custom 3D Virtual environment for the Constitution Hill Human Rights precinct – a heritage site in South Africa. A first of its kind in the heritage tourism space in South Africa. Stage 2A which evaluated the effectiveness of VR environment after the user’s exposure to the VR prototype and stage 2B which compared the impact of VR technology with existing or traditional marketing methods (static videos and pamphlets) on the marketability of a tourism industry product. “Marketability” –- the dependent variable – - will encompass a range of ‘patronage decisions.’
This study is theoretically grounded on the adaptation of advertising theories and adopts a mixed-method research approach, employing semi-structured interviews as well as self-administered questionnaire surveys with selected participants. The keys findings of this study show that VR could be a great marketing tool for tourism products, particularly a great marketing tool for Constitution Hill, Human Rights precinct. As such this study could assist relevant authorities and bodies in better marketing their tourism products. This is particularly important in the current global economic context where the tourism industry has taken a significant hit due to the measures taken by countries to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the more in South Africa which will needs to strengthen its marketing strategy to compete in the global tourism market if it is to restore one of its largest employments generating-creating sectors -– tourism, to pre-pandemic levels.
Keywords: Fourth Industrial revolution, Virtual Reality, Marketability, Tourism attractions, Tourism and Heritage sites.