Immersive tourism is popular, how does Metaverse reshape the cultural tourism industry?

Source: The Paper

Author: Wu Dan Xu Xin

Image source: Generated by Unbounded AI tool

Judging from the data of tourists received from all over the country, this year's summer vacation market is extremely hot. In museums and various theme parks, tourists will have an immersive tourism experience. In today's article, we want to talk about the role of metaverse-related technologies and applications behind the immersive travel experience.

The "Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Virtual Reality and Industry Applications (2022-2026)" issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism clearly proposes to combine cultural tourism with virtual reality, accelerate the implementation of multi-scenario applications in the industry, promote the development of interactive and immersive digital experience products in scenic spots, resorts, and neighborhoods, and develop new tourism services such as immersive interactive experiences, virtual displays, and smart guides. Cultivate new formats such as cloud tourism, cloud live broadcast, and cloud exhibitions, and launch a number of new scenarios for immersive tourism experiences. Facing the development goals of large-scale and characteristic integrated applications, and deepening the organic integration of virtual reality in the industry, Metaverse-related technologies and applications are becoming the driving force for the high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry.

1. The common model of Wenlv Metaverse

(1) Construction of simulation scenarios based on digital twins and digital natives

Metaverse provides non-contact tourism with digital twin modeling of scenic spots, 3D rendering, holographic imaging and other technical means, as well as "on call", immersive tourism service experience. The scenic spot simulation scene can use technologies such as satellite remote sensing, satellite imaging, maps, on-site surveying and mapping, and GIS to collect and generate basic scenic spot geographic 3D information models. For large-scale natural landscapes composed of similar natural objects such as trees, lawns, and water bodies, a single natural object can be modeled in detail, and then AI technology can be used to automatically supplement the remaining objects, and finally form a 3D digital space network that interconnects scenic spots. Compared with the digital twin technology that embodies reality mapping, digital natives use technologies such as super deep learning, multimodal learning, and artificial intelligence to generate content AIGC to independently build a new digital world. Whether it is a digital twin or a digital native implementation path, it can provide technical support for the digitization, dataization, and data assetization of scenic spots, and can lay the foundation for further innovative applications.

Taking museums as an example, Metaverse provides museums with the technology and network foundation for digital twin space construction and digital collection distribution. Through 3D laser scanning and video dynamic imaging technology, dynamic digital twins in museum rooms can be constructed. Visitors can use 3D glasses, head-mounted display devices, holographic projection devices, etc. to visit dynamic museum exhibits from a first-person perspective. For example, the Aksu Regional Museum uses holographic technology, AR augmented reality, 3D touch interaction and other technologies to promote the cultural relics and related historical allusions in the museum; uses high-definition 3D scanning and three-dimensional reconstruction technology, combined with virtual browsing, restoration of historical sites, and audience on-site multimedia interaction, so that the audience can fully understand and understand the history and culture of the Aksu area and the precious cultural relics in the museum; it adopts an intelligent dressing system, based on traditional Chinese clothing, and designs a smart full-length mirror, allowing the audience to virtually wear Aksu’s special costumes and take photos with them, enhancing the museum’s image. The interaction with the audience, while entertaining, spreads the excellent history and culture of the Aksu region.

(2) Mixed scene interaction experience based on the fusion of virtual and real

In the space of scenic spots, we can use Metaverse 3D rendering technology and VR, holographic projection and other technologies to project the sound, scenery, and 3D images of the performance in front of the audience. Using the situation, atmosphere, and immersive experience, the audience can be immersed in the story. At the same time, the audience can also participate in the performance as a digital virtual character. The audience is an actor rather than just a spectator, and the role exchange is truly realized.

For example, the "Encounter Dunhuang" tourism performance project adopts "walk-in" situational theater performance technology. Through the theater's stage design, technical control and multi-dimensional three-dimensional performance, it narrates the thousand-year history of Dunhuang and brings the audience into the thousand-year historical reincarnation of Dunhuang. In addition, the large-scale high-tech time-space show "Phantom of Ancient Trees" created by Hangzhou Songcheng Scenic Area uses advanced sound, light, fog, electricity and other technological means to create a 360-degree panoramic theater, bringing shocking visual, auditory, tactile and other sensory impact to the audience, and enhancing the on-site experience. Although the above two examples are not metaverse projects in the strict sense, the scene construction of the fusion of virtual and reality has also made a useful attempt for the high-level development of the cultural tourism metaverse.

(3) Application of virtual digital human in cultural tourism scene

Virtual digital human is the product of scientific and technological innovation. In the process of technological iteration, from 2D digital image to 3D hyper-realistic digital human, it becomes more and more realistic in terms of actions, language, and thoughts. Virtual digital humans are also a product of cultural development. They can be matched with different identities, dresses, languages, and image temperaments with regional characteristics according to different application scenarios, which is both real and illusory. With the maturity of software and hardware technology, virtual digital human has ushered in a major opportunity for development. With a more complete immersive experience, the commercial value and application field of virtual digital human have been greatly improved.

Scenic tourism virtual characters generally design virtual 2D or 3D characters through animation based on the characteristics of the scenic spot's humanities, history, and region, and use video special effects production and editing technology to realize the dynamic performance of virtual characters in the real scene of the scenic spot. At present, more and more tourist attractions have seen the advantages of virtual characters in IP marketing of attractions, such as fun, freshness, fan economy and video traffic, and have begun to create their own virtual characters. For example, the virtual IP image of Hangzhou tourism "Bai Susu" is based on the ancient legendary figure Bai Suzhen, combined with the local characteristics of the city, and endowed with a new definition of character in the new era, intending to make it a spokesperson for urban tourism; "Hai Mengji", the image spokesperson of Qingdao Animation Festival, signed a cooperation agreement with "Anime Island" to develop the cultural and tourism market; the virtual digital characters of Huangcheng Xiangfu Ecological Cultural Tourism Zone, a national 5A scenic spot in Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, danced in front of the scenic spot.

(4) Digital collections that open opportunities for cultural innovation

Digital collections, as virtual assets in the Metaverse, use encrypted computing technology to write data assets or physical assets such as photos, audios, and models into smart contracts. They have independent authentication codes and metadata, and can be collected, traded, and circulated. NFT based on blockchain technology has the characteristics of uniqueness, uniqueness, and low-cost identifiability. The digital collection of scenic spots is a mixed digital souvenir based on the unique resources of the scenic spot and the time-space attributes of the moment tourists buy souvenirs and the digital identity of travel companions released by using NFT technology. In this process, it not only ensures the confirmation and traceability of the IP of scenic spots, but also helps tourists manage their digital assets throughout the life cycle after sales.

Second, how to promote consumer acceptance and satisfaction improvement

(1) Standardized technical governance is the foundation of development

The Metaverse is both an industrial form and a social space. In terms of technology research and development, business development, and social relationship networks of the Metaverse, many specific legal and regulatory issues are involved. Although the Metaverse mainly adopts a distributed management model, at the initial stage, the subjects that hold governance power include not only the country and the government, but also Metaverse platform companies, technical organizations, international organizations, Metaverse communities, individuals, etc. Among them, the governance of Metaverse platform power is the focus. The Metaverse platform integrates governance functions such as environment shaping, rule creation, identity authentication, power empowerment, behavior evaluation, and dispute resolution. At present, the governance power of the Metaverse platform requires the state and the government to provide legal support and supervise it. The government’s authorization of the Metaverse platform is also an important source of legitimacy of the public governance power of the Metaverse platform. On the other hand, the improvement of government governance efficiency also requires the cooperation and assistance of the Metaverse platform. As a user type of the Metaverse, the government can carry out governance in the Metaverse in a more efficient way that is flat, centralized, and low-cost based on the improvement of platform governance capabilities and governance technologies, and gradually promote the optimization and efficiency improvement of the government regulatory system in the real world.

(2) It is necessary to vigorously encourage the R&D and innovation of market players

Metaverse covers chips, computing power, algorithm (AI), image and vision, industry, culture, blockchain and other directions, and has obvious advantages in technological and ecological development. Industrial ecology is the core competitiveness of future industrial development. For the metaverse whose industrialization development is still in its infancy, policy is undoubtedly the most important and powerful driving force at the moment. Under the momentum of macro-enhanced development, governments in many places are actively deploying the metaverse industry, which involves multiple levels such as scene construction, industrial development, and space expansion. For example, the Metaverse Science and Innovation Industrial Park planned and constructed in Henan Province according to the Metaverse concept focuses on the construction of 8 application scenarios, including consumption, entertainment, cultural tourism, education, industry, health, office, and residence, and 6 technical scenarios, including blockchain, information interaction, video games, artificial intelligence, network and computing, and the Internet of Things, to create a Metaverse industrial ecology with complete infrastructure, rich application scenarios, prosperous industrial ecology, and sound industry management. In the ecosystem, the R&D investment and innovative practices of various market entities will become an important driving force for the development of the Metaverse.

(3) Increasing the supply of high-quality content in the Metaverse of Culture and Tourism is the key

The increasingly close relationship between Metaverse and IP is essentially the market's real concern about the integration of high-quality content resources. The time-space expansion of the metaverse highlights the scarcity advantage of IP. How can the turbulent information torrent in the Metaverse attract the attention resources of a large number of audiences? The value of high-profile, high-profile, and high-value IP is self-evident, and multi-scale, multi-perspective, and multi-dimensional recurring IP has become an important starting point for metaverse content development. On the other hand, the decentralization of the metaverse enables individuals to gain great freedom, and at the same time magnifies their creative thinking and abilities. Users rely on the Metaverse platform to create imaginary worlds, so that everyone can truly become their own content producer, and crowd-creation has become the norm. At the same time, the community serves as a field for the users of the Metaverse to connect and interact, and the construction of the Metaverse community will also promote the content production of the user group.

(4) Multi-channel, multi-means, multi-touch points stimulate consumer enthusiasm

As a platform system that is highly interoperable between virtual and reality and constructed by a closed-loop economy, Metaverse can effectively promote the integration of producers, service providers, and consumers, and integrate with the economic system, social system, and identity system of the real world, thus building a new social form that "integrates reality and reality". On the basis of metaverse content creation, we also need to pay attention to service form, experience and marketing methods. For example, Mita City 1933, co-incubated by Shiji Cultural Tourism Group and Shanghai 1933 Old Workshop, was officially released in September 2022. Based on the scene IP of 1933 Old Workshop, it built a digital cultural asset structure, integrated real scenes and virtual worlds, and created a metaverse with Mita City 1933 as the core. , Metaverse studio, IP extension market, cultural and creative peripherals and other products and services, gradually forming a multi-channel, multi-method, multi-contact virtual-real interconnection experience ecology with METACITY metaverse experience, METALAB metaverse accelerator, and METATRIP meta-travel platform.

(5) Strengthen ethical construction and promote excellent culture

The decentralized organizational structure of the Metaverse, the interaction and integration of virtual reality, and the disorder at the beginning of its birth have shaken the foundation of the transplantation of the ethical system of the real society to the "virtual world". This has caused varying degrees of ethical crises in the virtual world in terms of power relations, identity, behavioral constraints, value orientation, and rule supervision. This has brought certain risks and challenges to the healthy development of the Metaverse and its large-scale application in the cultural and tourism industry. To strengthen the construction of ethics, it is necessary to promote the construction of codes of conduct and moral norms in the metaverse era, and to integrate responsibility innovation throughout the entire process of the development of the cultural tourism metaverse.

At the practical level, the Cultural Tourism Metaverse, as a field closely related to the better life of the people, should promote excellent culture. It must be nourished by the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and there must be an upward and benevolent culture that reflects the guidance of a beautiful vision. It should have a healthy influence on people’s thinking.

(The authors Wu Dan and Xu Xin are from the Department of Economics and Management of East China Normal University. Professor Xu Xin continues to pay attention to new economic forms such as new technologies, new industries, new formats, and new models, and cares about the governance of emerging technologies. This column takes "Industry and Governance" as the theme to discuss forward-looking issues of technological innovation in economic and social development.)