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Online Synchronous Model of Interpretive Sustainable Guiding in Heritage Sites: The Avatar Tourist Visit

Author

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  • María José Viñals

    (Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Laura Gilabert-Sansalvador

    (Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Anna Sanasaryan

    (Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Maria-Dolores Teruel-Serrano

    (Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Marino Darés

    (Centro de Investigación en Arquitectura, Patrimonio y Gestión para el Desarrollo Sostenible (PEGASO), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

Abstract

The health crisis caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic created an unprecedented social situation. In the most critical moments, tourism activities were cancelled or reduced to their minimum operation, creating an extreme situation of separation of a country’s heritage from residents and tourists. The objective of this work is to propose new options and strategies to reconnect the public with heritage under any circumstance and, at the same time, offer tourism services in healthy, secure conditions. Thus, live-streaming experiences of online interpretative tourist guidance were developed in heritage spaces; those visits were led by real guide-interpreters in a real environment and transmitted for remote visitors. We have called this visiting model the “Avatar Tourist Visit”. It is based on tools associated with Heritage Interpretation, Interpersonal Communication, Filmmaking and Audio-Visual Language, and Information and Communication Technologies. The methodological development of this tool was based on Design Sciences Research as the creation of a new procedure was pursued. The result is a sustainable, immersive, interactive, inclusive, unique, and resilient tourism product designed not only for times of crisis but also to connect the public with heritage at all times and ensure universal access to it. In addition, this activity constitutes a marketable experience as a specialized and customizable tourist product.

Suggested Citation

  • María José Viñals & Laura Gilabert-Sansalvador & Anna Sanasaryan & Maria-Dolores Teruel-Serrano & Marino Darés, 2021. "Online Synchronous Model of Interpretive Sustainable Guiding in Heritage Sites: The Avatar Tourist Visit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7179-:d:582692
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Joan E. van Aken, 2004. "Management Research Based on the Paradigm of the Design Sciences: The Quest for Field‐Tested and Grounded Technological Rules," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 219-246, March.
    3. Guttentag, Daniel A., 2010. "Virtual reality: Applications and implications for tourism," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 637-651.
    4. Sarah Hudson & Sheila Matson-Barkat & Nico Pallamin & Guillaume Jégou, 2019. "With or without you? Interaction and immersion in a virtual reality experience," Post-Print hal-02159315, HAL.
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    Cited by:

    1. Cláudia Seabra & Ketan Bhatt, 2022. "Tourism Sustainability and COVID-19 Pandemic: Is There a Positive Side?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Yue-Ming Guo & Wai-Ling Ng & Fei Hao & Chen Zhang & Shu-Xu Liu & Adil Masud Aman, 2023. "Trust in Virtual Interaction: The Role of Avatars in Sustainable Customer Relationships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-17, September.

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