Virtual Tourism Market By Technology (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, 360-Degree Video, Mixed Reality, AI-Based Tools); By Application (Leisure & Travel, Cultural & Heritage, Educational, Event & Venue Planning, Therapy & Wellness); By End User (Individual Consumers, Educational Institutions, Tourism Boards, Hospitality & Travel Companies, Corporate/Event Planners, Healthcare Facilities); By Geography, Segment Revenue Estimation, Forecast, 2024–2030

Introduction And Strategic Context

The Global Virtual Tourism Market is poised for rapid expansion — starting from an estimated USD 8.2 billion in 2024 , it's projected to reach USD 23.5 billion by 2030 , growing at a CAGR of 18.8% over the forecast period, as analyzed by Strategic Market Research.

 

Virtual tourism has evolved from a novelty to a viable mainstream experience. It refers to digitally immersive travel experiences powered by technologies like virtual reality (VR) , augmented reality (AR) , 360-degree video , and interactive web platforms . This transformation isn’t just about seeing places online — it’s about feeling present in a destination without physically being there .

 

Several macro-level forces are converging to push this market forward. Post-pandemic travel habits have shifted permanently. While physical travel is recovering, there’s a growing demographic — from disabled travelers to remote learners and budget-conscious explorers — actively seeking virtual alternatives. Schools are adopting virtual field trips. Museums are offering guided VR exhibitions. Even tourism boards are marketing entire cities through immersive experiences.

 

On the supply side, advancements in 5G , edge computing , and real-time rendering engines (like Unreal Engine and Unity) have made virtual tourism more lifelike and accessible. Meanwhile, content creators and tech startups are building scalable digital twin ecosystems for world heritage sites, national parks, cruise lines, and more.

 

Governments and travel agencies are also investing in virtual platforms as part of sustainable tourism strategies. Virtual visitation helps offset over-tourism , reduce carbon footprints, and promote lesser-known destinations. For example, the Norwegian fjords or the ruins of Angkor Wat can be explored virtually without the need for flights, permits, or crowd management.

 

The stakeholder landscape is diverse:

• Tech OEMs are providing VR headsets and mobile apps

• Tourism agencies and DMOs (destination marketing organizations) are creating digital replicas of real-world destinations

• Educational institutions are integrating cultural VR tours into their curricula

• Startups are building B2B platforms that enable custom virtual travel experiences for events, weddings, or therapy

Virtual tourism isn’t just a substitute for physical travel — it’s becoming its own category of experience, with unique monetization models, use cases, and target audiences.

Whether it’s a retiree exploring Machu Picchu from home or a student walking through the Louvre via headset, the market is shifting from “nice to have” to “next in line.”

 

Market Segmentation And Forecast Scope

The virtual tourism market spans a wide range of technologies, applications, and audiences. It’s no longer confined to entertainment or education. The segmentation has grown to reflect how different industries — from hospitality and heritage to healthcare and event planning — are now engaging with immersive tourism formats.

Here's how the market breaks down:

By Technology

• Virtual Reality (VR )
  Head-mounted displays, VR-enabled apps, and full-room VR installations offer fully immersive travel simulations. This is currently the largest and most mature technology segment — accounting for over 42% of the market share in 2024 , thanks to wide adoption across consumer and institutional channels.

• Augmented Reality (AR )
  AR overlays digital information onto real environments. It’s heavily used in museum apps, tourism city guides, and historical reconstructions via mobile phones or AR glasses. AR is gaining traction in hybrid tourism models — combining on-site visits with enhanced digital storytelling.

• 360-Degree Video and Interactive Tours
  Used extensively by travel platforms, real estate firms, universities, and hotels, these experiences don’t require VR gear, making them more accessible. Often accessed via websites or mobile apps, this format dominates lower-cost deployments and mobile-first markets.

• Mixed Reality (MR) and AI-Enhanced Virtual Guides
  These are still emerging segments, used mostly in premium educational platforms or high-end virtual safaris. Growth is expected to spike post-2026 as hardware becomes more affordable.

 

Insight: VR may lead now, but AR and browser-based 360 tours are growing faster due to ease of access and lower hardware barriers.

 

By Application

• Travel and Leisure
  Digital city tours, national park simulations, and remote destination experiences fall here. Airlines and hotel chains use this to promote experiences before purchase.

• Cultural and Heritage Tourism
  UNESCO sites, ancient ruins, and museums are leveraging virtual reconstructions to offer global access — especially to students and cultural enthusiasts who may never travel physically.

• Educational Tourism
  Schools, universities, and e-learning platforms are rapidly integrating virtual field trips — from walking through Pompeii to visiting NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

• Event Tourism and Hospitality Previews
  Virtual tours for weddings, conferences, and hotel site visits allow remote decision-making and virtual attendance. This is becoming crucial in the post-COVID era for hybrid event planning.

• Medical and Therapy-Based Tourism
  A small but emerging segment where virtual experiences are used for stress relief, memory stimulation in dementia care, or PTSD therapy via calming nature-based simulations.

Educational and cultural tourism is currently the fastest-growing segment — driven by hybrid learning and remote education partnerships.

 

By End User

• Individual Consumers
  Travel enthusiasts, students, senior citizens, and mobility-impaired users exploring destinations from home.

• Educational Institutions
  Schools, colleges, and universities using VR and AR to enhance curriculum and offer experiential learning modules.

• Travel Agencies and Tour Operators
  Integrating virtual previews and booking support tools to engage customers earlier in the decision-making journey.

• Government and Cultural Organizations
  Tourism boards, museums, and national parks offering public-access digital experiences as part of cultural preservation and promotion.

• Corporates and Event Managers
  Using virtual tours to plan offsites , events, or to simulate luxury destinations for remote teams or clients.

 

By Region

• North America – Early adoption of immersive tech; home to leading VR/AR hardware and platform players

• Europe – Strong growth in heritage tourism and cultural digitization projects

• Asia Pacific – Fastest-growing region, led by China, Japan, and South Korea with heavy investments in ed -tech and mobile AR

• LAMEA (Latin America, Middle East, Africa) – Emerging markets with growing interest in remote tourism accessibility, often tied to mobile-first users

 

Scope Note

This segmentation isn’t just operational — it’s strategic. Each user group and application layer involves different tech specs, pricing logic, and monetization potential . As more regions invest in metaverse -style infrastructure and tourism recovery plans, these categories will become increasingly integrated across real and virtual channels.

 

Market Trends And Innovation Landscape

The virtual tourism market isn’t following the old travel playbook — it’s writing a new one. From the integration of hyper-realistic graphics to AI-driven personalization, innovation here is being fueled by consumer curiosity, institutional adoption, and immersive tech maturing faster than expected.

Immersive Content Is Moving Beyond 360° Tours

Basic panoramic videos are being replaced by fully interactive simulations , where users don’t just look around — they choose what to explore, who to interact with, and even what time of day it is. Developers are using gaming engines like Unity and Unreal to render digital twins of everything from Mayan temples to luxury resorts.

In some cases, creators use photogrammetry and drone LIDAR scans to replicate real-world sites down to minute architectural details. This content is increasingly being licensed by school systems, travel aggregators, and museum networks.

One AR platform recently partnered with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism to create an interactive model of the Giza Plateau — with guided avatars, real-time translation, and gamified learning modules.

 

AI Is Rewriting the Virtual Travel Experience

Artificial intelligence is no longer just powering recommendation engines — it’s crafting experiences. New platforms are using AI-generated tour guides that adapt to a user’s pace, interests, or language. Some startups now offer:

• Emotion-sensitive avatars that respond to voice tone

• Real-time itinerary shifts based on user engagement

• Hyper-personalized narratives for children, seniors, or corporate teams

These upgrades are helping virtual tourism platforms retain users longer — and monetize through tiered access, advertising, and affiliate travel booking links.

 

Cross-Platform Access Is Reducing Entry Barriers

A big shift? Virtual tourism is no longer VR-dependent. While headset experiences are still the gold standard for immersion, companies are now designing multi-platform environments that work just as well on mobile phones, tablets, smart TVs, and browsers.

The rise of WebXR (a web API that supports VR/AR content in browsers) is particularly important. It means users can jump into a 3D museum tour or coastal hike with just a URL — no app install, no headset.

This is making virtual travel accessible to schools, low-income families, and emerging markets — not just early tech adopters.

 

5G and Edge Computing Are Unlocking Real-Time Interactivity

Speed matters. And with more countries rolling out 5G infrastructure , we’re seeing a dramatic drop in latency for live or dynamic virtual tours. This enables:

• Real-time guided tours with human hosts across continents

• AR-enhanced travel games layered onto live events or festivals

• Multiplayer exploration of virtual cities, castles, or cruise ships

Edge computing complements this by reducing load times and improving the stability of resource-heavy simulations on mobile devices.

 

Digital Twins of Destinations Are Becoming Monetizable Assets

Tourism boards and heritage institutions are realizing that digital replicas of physical destinations can serve multiple purposes :

• Pre-visit planning

• Paid virtual access

• Integration into educational or healthcare content

• Licensing to content platforms or VR arcades

In some cases, these twins are being designed with metaverse compatibility in mind , allowing for long-term repurposing across tourism, gaming, and education.

 

Strategic Partnerships Are Fueling Innovation

Several players are forming unexpected alliances:

• Hardware makers + tourism boards for bundled experiences (e.g., headset with preloaded tours)

• Universities + startups to create curriculum-integrated cultural tours

• Cloud service providers + event companies to deliver hybrid travel expos and virtual summits

These partnerships are laying the groundwork for scalable virtual tourism ecosystems — where content, tech, and monetization are all aligned.

In short: innovation in virtual tourism isn’t just about building cooler tech. It’s about creating immersive stories that people want to return to — whether they’re learning about Roman history, planning a honeymoon, or just escaping into nature from a hospital bed.

 

Competitive Intelligence And Benchmarking

The virtual tourism market is being shaped by a diverse group of players — not just from travel, but also gaming, ed -tech, media, and enterprise software. This isn’t a traditional winner-takes-all market. Instead, it’s a layered ecosystem where content creators, platform builders, and tech OEMs each hold strategic ground.

Meta Platforms Inc.

Meta isn’t just a hardware vendor — it’s shaping the narrative around what virtual presence means. With the Quest series of VR headsets , Meta has seeded consumer interest in travel-like VR experiences. Through Horizon Worlds , Meta is testing virtual social environments that mimic global destinations. The company also funds third-party developers building location-based experiences — including Machu Picchu and the Palace of Versailles.

Their edge? Full-stack control — hardware, platform, and user base — with a long-term goal of embedding tourism into the broader “ metaverse lifestyle.”

 

Google (Google Arts & Culture)

This platform is one of the earliest and most extensive efforts to digitize cultural and heritage tourism. Google’s partnerships with over 2,000 museums, heritage sites, and government institutions offer free, high-resolution virtual access to the Louvre, the Taj Mahal, and more.

They’ve recently expanded into VR-compatible tours , AR overlays for mobile devices , and educational bundles used by clas srooms worldwide.

While not monetized directly, Google’s virtual tourism initiatives build goodwill, traffic, and cross-platform stickiness for its larger ecosystem — including Search, YouTube, and Android.

 

Expedia Group & Booking Holdings

Traditional travel aggregators like Expedia and Booking are entering the virtual space more cautiously — but deliberately. They’ve launched interactive hotel previews , 3D cruise ship tours , and city experience simulators to boost pre-booking engagement.

Some Booking.com partners have begun offering add-on virtual tours as part of a trip planning experience — especially for family travelers and digital nomads exploring long-stay options.

This group’s strength lies in its commercial funnel . I f they can successfully link immersive content to bookings, they may capture monetization faster than standalone VR startups.

 

360Cities & Matterport

These two companies are dominant content platforms — offering panoramic 360-degree photography, virtual walkthroughs, and digital twin creation tools.

• 360Cities focuses on editorial and licensed immersive imagery, used by education, travel media, and marketing.

• Matterport builds spatial data platforms and 3D modeling — used by hotels, historical properties, and real estate developers.

While not exclusively tourism-focused, both serve as critical B2B infrastructure providers for the virtual travel boom.

 

The Glimpse Group

An emerging holding company of AR/VR startups, Glimpse owns subsidiaries that focus on education, travel, and cultural preservation. They develop custom VR experiences for museums , tourism boards , and corporate clients .

Their model is unique — instead of betting on one app or device, they’re creating a modular portfolio of niche VR/AR experiences.

Their advantage? Speed and specificity. They're winning contracts from smaller DMOs and institutions that want high-quality immersive content without building in-house capabilities.

 

Competitive Dynamics: What’s Working ?

• End-to-End Ownership Wins : Players like Meta and Google who own distribution, content, and platforms are shaping usage habits at scale.

• Niche Specialists Thrive : Companies that focus on a single use case (like 3D hotel walkthroughs) are gaining B2B traction.

• Partnerships Are Strategic : Travel platforms that team up with headset vendors or school districts are expanding reach without chasing consumers directly.

To be honest, there’s no dominant player here — and that’s the opportunity. The market is still wide open, especially in emerging regions and untapped niches like virtual religious tourism or therapeutic VR travel.

 

Regional Landscape And Adoption Outlook

Adoption of virtual tourism varies sharply by region — not just due to differences in tech access or tourism investment, but because of how each region sees the role of travel in culture, education, and economy. While some governments treat virtual experiences as strategic tools, others are just beginning to experiment.

North America

This region remains at the forefront of platform development and consumer adoption . The U.S. and Canada host a large concentration of:

• VR/AR hardware makers

• Content developers focused on tourism and education

• Institutions that fund immersive learning

American museums, for example, are leading in digitization. The Smithsonian offers full virtual walkthroughs of its aerospace museum, while New York’s MoMA uses VR to recreate past exhibits. Schools across the U.S. are integrating virtual field trips into STEM curricula, often through grants or partnerships with ed -tech companies.

Also, several U.S. national parks have launched interactive VR experiences to reduce congestion and encourage off-season engagement.

Adoption here is commercially motivated — but increasingly used in public education and healthcare contexts.

 

Europe

Europe blends cultural depth with regulatory support. EU funding programs like Creative Europe and Horizon Europe are fueling digitization projects for historical sites, monuments, and UNESCO-listed areas.

Countries like France, Italy, and Germany are pushing virtual tourism through:

• Digital twins of heritage sites

• National-level AR museum apps

• Public–private partnerships for immersive tourism platforms

In the UK, VisitBritain and English Heritage have launched virtual tours for Stonehenge and the Tower of London. And in Southern Europe, regions hit hardest by over-tourism (e.g. Venice, Barcelona) are testing virtual alternatives as crowd-control tools .

Europe is also strong on cross-border collaboration — sharing content and tech standards across language and cultural lines.

 

Asia Pacific

This is the fastest-growing region in the virtual tourism space. Three key factors are driving the surge:

• Massive mobile-first population

• Heavy investments in immersive tech by China, Japan, and South Korea

• Ed-tech adoption in India and Southeast Asia

In Japan, the government has funded VR tours of Kyoto’s temples to support cultural exports. South Korean firms offer immersive K-pop experiences and historical reconstructions tied to tourism campaigns.

China, meanwhile, is going big on metaverse tourism zones . Cities like Hangzhou and Shenzhen are building integrated digital replicas of their urban environments — blending real-time maps, VR access, and commerce.

In India, schools are adopting AR-based heritage learning as part of digital education reform. Some state tourism boards are now offering virtual pilgrimage routes to attract diaspora and remote travelers.

What’s unique here is the volume. While Europe focuses on preservation, Asia is scaling virtual tourism for mass access.

 

Latin America

Still early-stage, but gaining momentum. Countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia are investing in digitizing biodiversity and indigenous heritage zones . Universities are partnering with startups to produce 360-degree rainforest tours and ancient civilization walkthroughs.

Tourism ministries are exploring virtual experiences as a climate-conscious strategy , especially in ecologically fragile zones.

That said, adoption is uneven. Many smaller operators lack the resources or bandwidth for high-end VR. Mobile-based AR and browser-accessible formats dominate.

 

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

In the Middle East, UAE and Saudi Arabia are pushing immersive tourism as part of their post-oil digital economy agendas. The UAE’s National Pavilion at Expo 2020 had one of the region’s first full-scale VR travel domes. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan includes VR tours of NEOM and historical sites like AlUla .

Africa presents a mixed picture. Broadband access remains a challenge in many regions, but NGOs and digital heritage projects are stepping in. South Africa and Kenya have both piloted virtual safaris aimed at school outreach and diaspora tourism.

Also, cloud-hosted tourism platforms are gaining popularity, enabling museums in Lagos or Nairobi to reach global audiences without major tech infrastructure.

 

End-User Dynamics And Use Case

In the virtual tourism market , the end user is no longer just a solo traveler sitting behind a VR headset. It's a far more dynamic audience — spanning schools, governments, travel brands, event organizers, and even therapists. Each group has different expectations, levels of immersion, and reasons for investing in virtual travel.

1. Individual Consumers

This segment includes everyone from adventure enthusiasts to retirees, students, and people with physical or financial constraints. Many users begin with free browser-based or mobile app tours — then upgrade to more immersive VR content as the experience proves engaging.

This group tends to value:

• Cost-free or low-cost access

• Ease of use on personal devices

• Emotional or escapist value (e.g. stress relief, nostalgia)

Tourism during COVID-19 turned many consumers toward virtual alternatives. That habit, in some cases, stuck — especially for those who can’t or won’t travel regularly anymore.

 

2. Educational Institutions

This is one of the fastest-growing segments . Schools and universities are integrating virtual field trips , cultural site visits, and interactive history modules into lesson plans. These are often tied to:

• National curriculum goals (e.g. geography or history)

• Remote learning programs

• Budget-limited classrooms that can't afford travel

Institutions prefer plug-and-play content that works across tablets and smartboards, and that includes supplemental teaching materials.

Example: A district in Ontario, Canada uses VR headsets to let students “walk” through ancient Athens or WWII bunkers as part of their history curriculum. Attendance rates reportedly improved during these modules.

 

3. Tourism Boards and Cultural Organizations

These public bodies are using virtual tourism as both a marketing tool and a preservation strategy . They invest in digital twins of landmarks to:

• Attract global interest

• Offer previews to encourage real travel

• Provide remote access to cultural assets without risking degradation

For many, virtual tourism also helps control crowding at physical sites — especially in heritage zones.

 

4. Travel and Hospitality Companies

Hotels, cruise lines, and travel agencies use virtual tools to shorten the booking cycle . By offering 360-degree views or VR simulations of rooms, excursions, or destinations, they boost buyer confidence.

Some cruise companies now offer virtual onboarding experiences, while resorts provide virtual walkthroughs of suites and amenities.

This group is driven by ROI — so platforms that can plug into e-commerce or booking flows tend to win here.

 

5. Event Organizers and Corporate Users

Event tourism is going hybrid. Planners for conferences, weddings, or incentive trips use virtual tours to:

• Preview venues for international clients

• Offer remote participation for attendees

• Simulate entire travel packages for approval processes

In this case, interactivity and brand customization are critical. These users are willing to pay more for white-label or bespoke experiences.

 

6. Healthcare and Therapy Centers

An emerging niche where virtual tourism is used for:

• Mental health therapy (nature immersion, calming environments)

• Memory recall for dementia patients

• Bedridden or terminal patients wanting to experience bucket-list destinations

In some hospitals and care homes, VR-based tourism is being incorporated into recreational therapy .

 

Use Case Spotlight: Elder Care and VR Tourism

A senior living community in South Korea partnered with a local VR startup to offer weekly "virtual getaways" to residents. The platform included beach walks, historical site visits, and nature trails — all optimized for seated, low-mobility use.

After 3 months, staff reported noticeable improvements in resident mood and cognitive engagement. One resident who hadn’t spoken in weeks began commenting on the architecture of a virtual tour of Prague.

The program, initially piloted with four headsets, is now being scaled to 18 facilities — and partially funded by Korea’s Ministry of Health.

This highlights how virtual tourism is moving beyond entertainment — into care, memory, and connection.

Ultimately, flexibility is key . End users want platforms that adapt to their constraints — be it budget, bandwidth, or mobility — while still offering meaningful, emotionally rich experiences. The most successful players are the ones who can speak to all these needs at once.

 

Recent Developments + Opportunities & Restraints

The virtual tourism market has seen a wave of activity in the past two years — not just in tech upgrades, but in how institutions, developers, and governments are thinking about digital travel. What was once a COVID workaround is now a serious, strategic vertical. Here’s a look at the latest moves and the road ahead.

Recent Developments (Last 24 Months)

• Meta Launched Horizon Experiences for Virtual Travel (2024)
  Meta added new virtual environments to its Horizon platform focused on tourism, including a co-developed Machu Picchu walkthrough with UNESCO historians. The experience combined VR with interactive narration and spatial sound.

• Google Arts & Culture Expanded Its Heritage VR Offerings (Late 2023)
  New partnerships with India’s Ministry of Culture and Italian museums added dozens of immersive site tours — all accessible via browser, mobile, or VR headset. These experiences include layered stories, AR mode, and student-focused guides.

• Matterport Rolled Out “Destination Twin” for Tourism Boards (2024)
  Matterport launched a custom product to help cities and tourism bureaus create fully immersive 3D replicas of public spaces — optimized for both desktop and VR. The city of Dublin was the first adopter.

• Booking.com Piloted VR Hotel Previews in Asia-Pacific (2023)
  In a limited rollout, Booking.com allowed users in Singapore and Japan to take VR room tours directly from the booking interface. Conversion rates reportedly rose by 18% for participating properties.

• South Korea Invested in VR for Aging Populations (2024)
  The Ministry of Health began funding immersive wellness tourism programs for elder care homes, using calming VR nature environments and virtual cultural events to improve mental health and social engagement.

 

Opportunities

• Institutional Education Demand Is Scaling
  School districts, universities, and online learning platforms are searching for culturally rich, curriculum-aligned virtual content. Platforms that can offer turnkey education bundles — complete with assessments and teacher tools — stand to gain.

• Growth in Emerging Markets via Mobile Access
  In regions where physical travel is expensive or difficult, browser-based and mobile-first virtual tourism is emerging as a bridge to cultural participation . Developers that focus on data-light formats and multilingual support will thrive.

• Therapy-Driven Tourism Applications
  Wellness platforms, eldercare providers, and rehabilitation clinics are starting to incorporate virtual nature and travel as part of treatment and stress-relief programs. This niche is small now — but growing fast, especially in aging societies like Japan, Italy, and South Korea.

 

Restraints

• Hardware Accessibility Still Limits Mass VR Adoption
  While browser-based experiences are growing, high-end VR content still requires headsets — many of which remain expensive or inaccessible in lower-income regions. This creates a divide between what’s possible and what’s practical.

• Content Quality Varies Wildly Across Platforms
  With no clear industry standard, many virtual tourism experiences lack consistency in storytelling, realism, or accessibility. This inconsistency makes it harder for institutions or large buyers to scale adoption.

To be honest, the problem isn’t lack of demand — it’s fragmentation. If the market can close the gap between creative content, institutional use, and accessible delivery — virtual tourism could outpace traditional digital media formats within the decade.

 

7.1. Report Coverage Table

Report Attribute	Details
Forecast Period	2024 – 2030
Market Size Value in 2024	USD 8.2 Billion
Revenue Forecast in 2030	USD 23.5 Billion
Overall Growth Rate	CAGR of 18.8% (2024 – 2030)
Base Year for Estimation	2024
Historical Data	2019 – 2023
Unit	USD Million, CAGR (2024 – 2030)
Segmentation	By Technology, By Application, By End User, By Region
By Technology	Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), 360-Degree Video, Mixed Reality (MR), AI-based Interactive Tools
By Application	Leisure & Travel, Cultural & Heritage Tourism, Educational Tourism, Event & Venue Planning, Therapy & Wellness
By End User	Individual Consumers, Educational Institutions, Tourism Boards, Travel & Hospitality Providers, Corporate/Event Planners, Healthcare Facilities
By Region	North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa (MEA)
Country Scope	U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, China, India, Japan, Brazil, UAE, South Korea, South Africa
Market Drivers	- Growth of immersive tech (VR/AR/AI) - Institutional demand from education and culture sectors - Demand for sustainable, accessible travel
Customization Option	Available upon request