Virtual technology is a technique that produces a digital version of an event or device, such as an online game or a trade show. The term virtual is used to distinguish it from the real thing, even though the replica is as real as the original object. Virtual machines (VMs) are emulators based on software that emulate physical hardware, like a desktop computer or server. They do not need to physically be removed from a data centre, and are accessible at the same time as physical devices in other locations.
The development of VR has created new opportunities for tourism development, and also opened a research era on the experience economy. However, VR research has not been fully integrated into the larger literature on tourism. This article seeks to fill this gap by reading the literature on VR/AR/MR within tourism and hospitality.
Utilizing the SCOPUS database The study was based on the SCOPUS database. 80 studies were selected and their features and trends were examined. Since the year 2018, the number of VR/AR/MR research papers in higher education has increased quickly. This is mainly due to the cost of the devices. It is also evident that VR/AR/MR programs are primarily aimed at undergraduates with engineering, science, and medicine-related majors being the main research areas. Research in humanities and social sciences subjects like art and history is still relatively rare.
VR/AR/MR can improve the students’ skills, knowledge and confidence. Furthermore it can be used to develop empathy for patients and improve medical training. Immersive VR, for example can aid medical students develop empathy for elderly patients suffering from aging-related diseases and give them the opportunity to examine patients suffering from dyspnea.