Articles

The digitalization of society is paramount for economic competitiveness and societal well-being. The sanitary, economic and social crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of the hospitality and tourism industries (Vo-Thanh et al., 2022), which rely on new technologies to lay foundations to create new sustainable, competitive, innovative, responsible and inclusive business models. Immersive technologies are critical for the effective digitalization of hospitality and tourism. Since Milgram and Kishino (1994) developed the reality-virtuality continuum to classify different realities, Flavián et al. (2019) refined the continuum by suggesting the inclusion of pure mixed reality, where virtual objects fit perfectly with the physical world and reflect more accurately how technological developments set up the current digital-physical touchpoints. Immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Augmented Virtuality (AV) and Pure Mixed Reality (PMR), also known as XR technologies (Rauschnabel et al., 2022) are shaping new environments where real and digital objects are integrated at different levels, resulting in hybrid customer experiences.

Hospitality and tourism can benefit from Industry 4.0 technologies, given the intangible and experiential nature of the consumer experience (Tussyadiah et al., 2018). Immersive technologies have great potential to affect all the sub-dimensions of the experience during the entire customer journey (Flavián et al., 2019). Acting upon basic, conventional experiences, immersive technologies can generate supported experiences, either directly by assisting the customer on the same plane of reality, or indirectly by acting upon a different plane. In addition, empowered experiences involve the technology itself creating a new experience with a singular entity. This new experience can be related, or unrelated, to the customer's core experience. In related empowered experiences, the new experience created by the technology is closely related to what consumers experience and complements the user's core experience. In diverted empowered experiences, the technology itself creates a new experience not directly related to the users' core experience, but which does influence what they are experiencing. Although immersive technologies have great potential to enhance the guests’ (consumers’) experience, they also blur the lines between technology use and guest experience.

While the recent years have witnessed a tremendous growth in the development of immersive technologies, the definitive take-off in the end-consumer market has yet to take place. The lack of appealing content and satisfactory experiences, rather than the cost of acquiring the relevant equipment, are the main barriers to mass adoption (Statista, 2021). Academic research has mostly been conceptual, and empirical studies are still in their infancy. Furthermore, recent global crises have created an uncertain environment. There is an urgent need to understand how immersive technologies can help individuals cope with today’s economic and social challenges, such as safety and security, avoiding crowded places, overtourism reactions and dealing with freedom-privacy trade-offs. These challenges may affect consumers’ perceptions of the value they derive from their hospitality and tourism experiences.

This special issue aims to deepen our current understanding of the impact of immersive technologies on customer experiences, knowledge that can be used to generate valuable customer experiences. Studies should analyze customers’ key motivations, perceptions, emotions, attitudes and behaviors related to the implementation of these technologies in hospitality ­and­ tourism. We are open to the application of different methods, including both qualitative and quantitative empirical research. Theoretical, conceptual and critical papers are also welcomed if they contribute to a better understanding of the implications of these innovative technologies for customers, services and society in general. A potential list of topics that merit exploration include, but are not limited to, the following:

Submissions Information:

Prospective authors are strongly encouraged to contact the special issue editors regarding potential topics of interest or any questions/suggestions regarding the special issue to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Abstracts (up to 1000 words) can be submitted directly to the guest editors via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 1 April 2023. Abstracts must be concise and to the point, with appropriate references.

Full papers must be submitted by 30 September 2023 through ScholarOne Manuscripts, the online submission and peer review system.

Please select the correct issue to submit to: “Immersive Technologies in Hospitality and Tourism”. Registration and access is available at: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ijchm Author guidelines for IJCHM can be found at: http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=ijchm

Guest Editors:

• Carlos Flavián, University of Zaragoza, Spain (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
• Iis Tussyadiah, University of Surrey, United Kingdom (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
• Carlos Orús, University of Zaragoza, Spain (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)  

Timeline:

Abstracts submissions:           1 April 2023

Abstract decisions:                  30 April 2023

FULL paper submissions:       30 September 2023

Publication:                             Mid 2024

More information:

https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-papers/immersive-technologies-hospitality-and-tourism