Back in Time with Immersive Heritage Tourism Experience: A Study of Virtual Reality in Archaeological Sites

Abstract

This study focuses on how virtual reality applications might evoke nostalgic sensations in travellers during cultural heritage tourism. While extensive research on the tourism experience has revealed different extrinsic and intrinsic dynamics that affect the tourist experience, this research aims to explore what feeling of back in time VR users experience in an archaeological destination. The gap in visitor experience employing VR research still persists, despite the rising adoption rate of immersive technology, such as virtual reality. In this study, a qualitative method has been applied to analyse online reviews of VR users who visited the Olympia Archaeological Site in Greece and used the ‘Back in Time Olympia’ VR application. The findings drawn from the results show that nostalgia, presence, engagement by learning, and service experience are essential determinants of tourist VR experiences in such cultural heritage destinations.