Mobile-mediated virtual experience in tourism: Concept, typology and applications

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to conceptualize virtual tourism in the mobile context. Through the concept of telepresence, the typology of virtual experience can be explained by two dimensions: vividness and interactivity. The authors first discuss virtual experience in terms of several categories ranging from verbal-based to animated interactive experience. Based on these categories, various mobile applications are then identified to complete the typology. Finally, practical discussions are provided with examples to illustrate various mobile services that facilitate virtual experiences and the application of the mobile-mediated virtual experience to tourism with consideration of the destination marketing organization's innovativeness and consumers' needs for mobile usage.