Research Project: Assessing Virtual Reality's Role in UK Tourism

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RESEARCH PROJECT: IMPACT OF VIRTUAL REALITY ON
TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR
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Executive summary
Globalisation has affected in technology incorporation in business. The application of digital
technology in travel and tourism industry has affected in business expansion. Incorporation of
virtual reality has its impact in marketing as well as other organisational activities. The study
aims to analyse the impact of virtual reality on travel and tourism in UK. In this respect, the
researcher has developed a research proposal to conduct a research in small scale. The research
conducted revolved around a well-developed methodology that supported the achievement of
research objectives. The survey conducted on 50 people represented primary and quantitative
data collection. The data is represented with the help of charts and graphs. Further, literature are
analysed to evaluate the results obtained from the research. The research concluded that the
impact of virtual experience has affected the marketing and business strategies positively by
attracting new tourists at new destinations or existing destination with new offers and negatively
by heightening expectation and expenses. Recommendations were provided for automated
service incorporation and training strategies. Moreover, successful incorporation of digital
technology in business operations can make it successful in its domain and international business
market.
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
LO1 Formulating a research specification...................................................................................4
1.1 Formulating and recording research project..................................................................4
1.2 Factors that are contributing research project....................................................................4
1.3 Critical review....................................................................................................................5
1.3.1 Concept of Virtual Reality...........................................................................................5
1.3.2 Impact of VR in travel and tourism sector...................................................................5
1.3.3 Literature Gap..............................................................................................................6
1.4 Specification of research project......................................................................................6
1.5 Plan and procedures of research project.............................................................................7
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................8
LO2 Implementing research project with various procedure.......................................................8
2.1 Matching resources with research question........................................................................8
2.2 Undertaking the research investigation and procedures.....................................................8
2.3 Collecting and recording data.............................................................................................9
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................18
LO3 Evaluation of research outcome.........................................................................................18
3.1 Techniques for research evaluation..................................................................................18
3.2 Analysing the results of research......................................................................................19
3.3 Recommendations of the research and justification for further consideration.................20
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................22
LO4 Research outcome..............................................................................................................22
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4.1 Format to present the outcome of research project to audience.......................................22
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................24
References......................................................................................................................................25
Appendices....................................................................................................................................28
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Introduction
Globalisation has affected business organisations to indulge in advanced technology to improve
service and product quality in order to compete in the global business market. The travel and
tourism sector is also fighting to incorporate digital technology to facilitate the scope of business
expansion and globalisation. Digital technology, specifically virtual reality in travel and tourism
industry can affect the experience of tourists in gaining outstanding experience with computer-
generated environment. Further, the scope of marketing and providing customer satisfaction can
be enriched with innovations. Extending the horizon of service quality and type of service, travel
and tourism companies can indulge in acquiring high-profit share through internationalisation.
The study aims to analyse the impact of virtual reality on travel and tourism in UK. In this
respect, a research proposal and the implementation of the research has been carried out. A
poster is also prepared with the outcomes of the research. The study involves primary research to
come to the inference related to the research topic. Moreover, it evaluates the current situation
with current literature to support the outcomes.
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Task 1
LO1 Formulating a research specification
1.1 Formulating and recording research project
Virtual reality on travel and tourism sector plays a big role to help in making a better experience
of the environment artificially through sounds and sights. VR is growing rapidly in our society
and thus taking the technology to a better level. As mentioned by Jovicic (2019:276), VR has
started maximizing customer engagements and enhance their customer a better chance to
virtually visit any place. And then create an experience about it before taking final decisions. VR
in tourism industry has made travelling sector very accessible to individuals by simulators and
then give them a better experience about the place. With the help of their new technique VR has
given travellers a concept of viewing places in a 360 degree angle. This creation has managed
users to view places while sitting at home and visit varieties of places. VR has also introduced
another application book engine that enables travellers to select their destination place on virtual
globe and book directly through VR gloves and glasses.
Objectives
● To understand the impact of VR in travel and tourism sector
● To critically identify advantages of VR used in travel and tourism sectors
● To distinguish how effective is VR in terms of travel and tourism.
● To recommend the better use of virtual reality in today's generation
Research Questions
Q1 What are the impacts of VR in tourism and travel sectors?
Q2 What are the various advantages of using VR?
Q3 What are the various effectiveness of VR in respect to travel and tourism?
Q4 What recommendations can be given for better use of VR technology?
1.2 Factors that are contributing research project
The Research project of virtual reality and its impact on travel and tourism mainly shows how
virtual reality is helping travellers to bring them a better experience without visiting the place.
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This project focuses on VR and how it brings a new technology in tourism sectors. Virtual reality
is offering travellers to enhance a better environment through artificial sound and intelligence is
also a main factor that is shown in the project. It is using 360 view technologies to show people a
better place while sitting at home. The project shows how VR is successful in the sector of travel
and tourism. As said by Dickinson et al. (2016:193), travellers when visiting to new places and
getting help from VR technology is also a main focus of the project. On the other hand VR is
playing a vital role in travel and tourism that they are able to view hotels and other
accommodations through using these technologies. In this project it is also been shown that by
help of VR it enables travel and tourism sector to select destination from virtual globe and book
directly using this technique. The project is also giving the idea, how VR is providing
information to tourism about different places. Thus this project will provide how VR is
impacting travel and tourism in different ways.
1.3 Critical review
1.3.1 Concept of Virtual Reality
VR is a new computer technology to create a simulated environment using auditory and visual
effects and various sensory feedbacks. This technology is being used in different sectors to get
benefit and create a new learning experience.
1.3.2 Impact of VR in travel and tourism sector
Virtual reality in respect to travel and tourism has played a big role to enhance people for better
travelling experience by providing all information. As opined by Li et al. (2018:317), and also to
others those cannot travel but still can enjoy the same experience in protected environment by
using technological effects. VR has made travelling very easy to every individual using
simulator. Before travelling to the destinations they can enjoy the same experience using VR
technology. It has also impacted travel and tourism sectors to explore hotels and different
visiting sites of the destination places. On the contrary Tussyadiah et al. (2018:597), a new
technology in VR is their 360 degree view that has played a huge role and helped travelers to
exactly know the place and the different pathways. It has also impacted them to directly book
destinations using virtual globe. Travelling agencies are also impacted by VR technology as they
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are redefining vacation using virtual travel media. Virtual reality has a route tracker enabled in
their application. This impacts tourist travels to navigate to their destination places by creating
virtual reality image. As the navigator crosses different places it provides information about the
place and other related information to travellers. This interactive technology has allowed
potential guests of resort or hotels to experience and explore the place before booking. It has
especially provided various attractive videos, a live tracker to traveller, 360 degree view
application etc. For this reason VR technology is likely to have a great impact on travel and
tourism sector.
1.3.3 Literature Gap
In previous research live tracker application, exploring different places and booking engine
was not included. Live trackers basically help travellers or tourist to track their destination place
and provide all information regarding the destination. It also provides weather information so
that they can get the idea. This technique has not been elaborated in the previous research and
also the various use it. Secondly, in the previous research it was also not mentioned the use of
360 degree application that basically help knowing the pathway and viewing the streets. It helps
to visit different places while sitting at home and know all the related information about the
destination place and plans the travel better. This also helps to explore the destination in a deep
way so that it does not become a problem for new travellers while visiting. Thus this technique in
the previous research has not been mentioned and created issues. Finally, previous research in
booking engine was not been included thus and various uses of it.
1.4 Specification of research project
The research project will be conducted with primary data collection. It includes a survey of
taking 50 people of travel and tourism sector and an open-ended questionnaire will be asked
about the impact of virtual reality on travel and tourism sector. Various impacts will be discussed
and also about the applications that are being used by travellers while visiting their destinations.
Importance and effect of the virtual reality on tourism sectors will also be discussed in the
survey. As mentioned by Liang et al. (2017:732), among the 50 participants, there will also be 30
students of UKBC, 15 will be from local travel executives and tourism business. And the rest 5
participants will be managers of international business companies. This survey is conducted to
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achieve the research objectives. Thus in this survey there will be discussions on virtual reality
and various improvements will be taken for better using of the technology. Hence, providing a
variety of information to the participants about the impact of virtual reality in travel and tourism
will be given. Other related issues to overcome the technology will also be discussed in the
survey. Various issues of participants will be also solved in the primary data collection.
1.5 Plan and procedures of research project
The researcher will plan to collect data for evaluating the impact of VR on tourism industry and
to achieve the research objectives at the end of the research. In order to plan for the investigation
process, the researcher will analyse related theories and concepts. The researcher will choose
positivism philosophy and deductive approach to obtain first-hand and evidence-based real
data (Fletcher, 2017:181). Further, descriptive design supported in analysing the data in the light
of objectives. For data collection, the researcher will conduct primary research such as online
survey to deduce quantitative data regarding research objectives (Bernard, 2017:178). The
statistical data will be collected from 50 participants, among whom 30 will be students of
UKCBC, 15 will be executives of local travel and tourism business and 5 will be managers of
international business companies. Likert scale will be used to score responses and get statistical
data to represent the content. Moreover, Data Protection Act 2018 will be considered to
conserve ethical consideration for information collected from primary research.
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Task 2
LO2 Implementing research project with various procedure
2.1 Matching resources with research question
The research questions are framed based on the objectives that the research would aim to
achieve. Integration of digital technology in form of application of virtual reality has affected in
developing encouragement tourist and attracting them efficiently. As mentioned by Kim et al.
(2019:47), management of hospitality services can be increased with application of technology
and virtual reality is effective in attaining high guest satisfaction. On the other hand, Han et al.
(2019:113) argued that VR application is expensive and cannot be afforded by 67% of global
tourists. Therefore, the question addressing the impact is effective in analysing the effects of VR
in service quality in travel and tourism sector.
Nevertheless, it has advantages such as providing extensive experience, attracting modern
customers and such. Thus, the second question is valid as it addresses the present context. With
the advantages of VR, hospitality service quality can be increased by 46.3% for business growth
and globalisation (Matos et al. 2019:358). Hence, it is effective for business expansion that is
addressed by the third question. Lastly, the recommendation to VR implementation in tourism
business to attract new tourists and gain competitive advantage through globalisation is valid for
the research. As explained by Sharma et al. (2017:170), logical progression of VR integration
can help in sustaining a profit increase of 73% with attractive offers for tourists.
2.2 Undertaking the research investigation and procedures
The researcher has developed a detailed structure to address the issues at hand to reach the
research objectives. As proposed by Flick (2018:143), research methodology must meet the
research objectives and support the analysis of developed hypothesis. Therefore, the research
outline provided a detailed understanding of procedure of research investigation. The researcher
has undertaken positivism research philosophy and deductive research approach to address
the issues with existing theories and evidence-based data (Almalki, 2016:288). The descriptions
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provided through understanding the concept, which was supported by the descriptive research
design (Queirós et al. 2017:75). In relation to this, the researcher conducted primary
quantitative research through conducting survey on students, business executives and managers
to comprehend their opinion on the effects of VR on tourism industry. Moreover, the descriptive
design supported in describing the data collected effectively to analyse the effects of VR on
marketing and customer satisfaction.
The researcher has developed a survey questionnaire with relevant questions that assists in
decision comprehension related research aim. 7 questions are formulated to address the issue of
VR incorporation in organisational operations in travel and tourism business and its effect in
business development. Analysing the literature available, the questions were set and made
available online to conduct a survey in a time and cost-effective manner (Zalaghi and Khazaei,
2016:23). The participants were provided with the website address to participate accordingly. In
addition, the survey questions formulated were devoid of any opinionated statements and
confidentiality is maintained with the collected data.
2.3 Collecting and recording data
The data collected is of primary nature that provided the evidence in relation to research
objectives and hypothesis. The data collected through survey-portal.com and recorded on online
storage and represented through tables, charts, and graphs for visual analysis.
Q1. Do you think that implementation of VR in services are advantageous for business
growth?
Options Responses Total respondents Percentage of responses
Strongly agree 14 50 28%
Agree 12 50 24%
Neutral 2 50 4%
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Strongly disagree 14 50 28%
Disagree 8 50 16%
Table 1: Effects of VR services on business growth
(Source: Created by author)
Figure 1: Effects of VR services on business growth
(Source: Created by author)
The data showed that respondents are on average with agreement; however, 44% of total people
are in disagreement that VR only supports business growth. This may be caused by the casualties
of unsuccessful implementation of VR in business services.
Q2. Do you think that the impact of VR in marketing for services is effective in attracting
new customers?
Options Responses Total respondents Percentage of responses
Strongly agree 15 50 30%
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