XXVI Congreso Internacional sobre Aprendizaje

Abstract

The world has entered into the fourth industrial revolution. It is a world characterized by technological innovations which fundamentally alter the way we live, relate to our environment, and do business. A new wave of online reality technology is set to change the way consumers interact with their environment. Recent developments in VR technology provide a tremendous opportunity for the tourism industry. VR is earmarked as an important contemporary technological development which will greatly impact the tourism industry. Virtual reality technology is increasingly becoming part of mainstream technology and this creates a tremendous opportunity for tourism industry, more specifically tourism marketing. This study determines the awareness and the perceptual viability of the online marketing of tourism offerings in Durban, South Africa, with the hope of better understanding whether marketers are aware and foresee online reality environments being assimilated into the everyday marketing of tourism offerings. Although the concepts around online and augmented reality have been around for decades, the research hypothesizes that not only do marketers not fully grasp the technology, they are not yet able to explore its applications within the tourism industry as a marketing tool. The study makes use of a qualitative research approach.