Virtual Travel and the Digital Economy: Redefining Tourism in the Age of Innovation

Abstract

This study is based on a qualitative exploratory research design to examine the convergence of virtual tourism, consumer behaviour and digital innovation via an integrative conceptual framework connecting technological drivers, user adoption, economic outcomes and sustainability dimensions. We performed a systematic literature review using the PRISMA protocol. We screened 545 records from Scopus and Web of Science and included 58 sources for thematic synthesis. The study revealed five major themes: Digital Transformation of Tourism Experiences; 2) Consumer Adoption; 3) Sustainability as the Emerging Paradigm of Virtual Tourism; 4) Digital Business Model Innovation in Tourism; 5) Governance, Ethics, and Future Research Agenda. Findings show that immersive technologies (AR/VR), AI and blockchain enable scalable tourism solutions, but claims of inclusivity and sustainability are often overstated: digital fatigue, authenticity gaps, infrastructural inequality and environmental costs of digital hardware limit the contribution of virtual tourism. After a rigorous literature review, the study identifies specific gaps, such as the lack of an integrative conceptual model, weak empirical grounding, and asymmetric treatment of sustainability benefits and costs, and proposes a framework to guide future theory building and empirical validation. The paper contributes to tourism policy by advocating for strategic frameworks where inclusivity and sustainability are viewed as contested, evidence-based results (rather than as a natural benefit of digitalisation).