Study on the role of immersive technologies in Northeast India in making informed tourism decisions

Abstract

Tourism sector is one of the largest foreign exchange earners. Tourist circuits Network of India open arms for exploration and experience its rich culture, religious heritage, and spiritual ambience. India has improved from 54th rank in 2021 to 38th rank Post revision in World economic forum Methodology in TTDI, 2024 out of 119 countries as per the released ranking of Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI). The study investigates the Role, potential and effectiveness of

Augmented reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in making informed tourism decisions and promoting tourism in Northeastern states (NES) of India.   An exploratory study of the facts and figures from the Government published reports highlight the Scope of tourism in Northeastern states (NES) of India for enhanced Tourism experiences via various Tourism circuits. Welcoming atmosphere, pristine environment, uniqueness of culture and cuisine are the important determinants of Tourist arrivals. Barriers of travel observed in study from the respondents are Time for travel, Mode of travel, accessibility of geographically dispersed locations, Safety and security, Weather conditions and difficult terrains of the tourist destinations etc. To obtain valuable insights, the study incorporates mixed methodology, i.e. both quantitative and qualitative research tools are applied. Data is gathered through on-site observations, Questionnaire focusing on tourist perceptions and behavior. The findings reveal that use of Augmented reality (AR) and Virtual reality (VR) significantly increase tourist engagement, knowledge acquisition, and overall satisfaction with their domestic travel experiences in Northeastern states (NES). The option of VR and AR can prove to be boon for the old aged travelers and in-accessible tourism destinations and can be considered as viable option especially to overcome the travel barriers to larger extent