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F.acT: Why is this topic relevant for the Tyrolean tourism industry?
Elisabeth Schupfer: Digitalization is progressing at a rapid pace across all sectors. It is particularly important in Tyrol, as the region is heavily focused on and dependent on innovation, quality and sustainability. It is therefore necessary to deal with new digital solutions. The field of immersive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), offers great potential for tourism in particular, as it visually presents content and makes it tangible for guests. Tourism thrives on emotions, and it is precisely these emotions that can be addressed with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and VR. To ensure a certain practical relevance, the combination with the customer journey (CJ) is ideal. Through the targeted use of AI-supported VR technology, the individual phases - pre-service, intra-service and the post-service phase - can be supplemented with a digital component. However, this technology should not be seen as a substitute for tourism, but merely as a supplement to the real experience. Through targeted use, destinations can add emotional, interactive and individual content to their offerings and strengthen travel intentions or guest loyalty to the destination. For Tirol in particular, this offers the opportunity to strategically integrate digital technologies into destination management and position itself as an innovative, future-oriented and sustainable tourism region. At the same time, ecological, social and economic aspects of digital innovation are combined, which strengthens Tyrol's competitiveness in the long term.
F.acT: What methodological approach did you use in your work?
Elisabeth Schupfer: This master's thesis is based on a qualitative research approach. Eleven people from the fields of technology, tourism, marketing and science were interviewed as part of expert interviews in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of the topic. The interview guidelines were derived from the literature and tested in advance to ensure the quality and relevance of the content. The evaluation was carried out using Mayring's qualitative content analysis, whereby the experts' statements were systematically categorized and placed in relation to existing models. This approach makes it possible to gain a practical insight into the perception, acceptance and use of AI-supported VR in tourism and to derive recommendations for action and conclusions.
F.acT: What are the core results of your work and what significance do they have for tourist destinations and businesses?
Elisabeth Schupfer: The key findings show that immersive technologies have the potential to improve the CJ in tourist destinations. The phases before and during the trip in particular benefit from interactive and personalized applications that strengthen guests' emotional connection to the destination and intensify the experience. The post-trip phase, on the other hand, plays a lesser role. At the same time, aspects such as data protection, trust and cultural sensitivity pose challenges during implementation. Overall, the work shows that the use of AI-supported VR technology can lead to greater satisfaction and stronger guest loyalty if it is strategically embedded in destination management. This work shows that other immersive technologies such as extended reality in combination with AI offer more potential for the destination. For tourism businesses and destinations, this means that digital technologies should not only be seen as a marketing tool, but as an integral part of the guest experience in order to achieve long-term competitive advantages.
F.acT: What specific recommendations for action do you make in your Master's thesis?
Elisabeth Schupfer: Several practical recommendations for action can be derived from the work. These include the targeted integration of AI-supported immersive technologies along the CJ, the development of adaptive and inclusive concepts for different target groups and the provision of possible prototypes or pilot projects for destination management organizations or other tourism businesses. It is also recommended to strengthen cooperation between tourism, technology and science in order to promote innovation in the long term. In addition, attention should be paid to data protection, sustainability and inclusion when introducing digital technologies. In this way, Tyrolean tourism can make targeted use of the potential of AI-supported VR technology and shape the digital transformation responsibly. A list of possible use cases for further research or for use in destinations can be found in the attached poster.