TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY EDUTAINMENT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES ON INTEGRATING VIRTUAL REALITY INTO EDUCATION

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the perceptions and experiences of tourism and hospitality students, focusing on the use and impact of virtual reality (VR) technology in their educational settings. In addition, this study aims to uncover factors influencing the adoption of VR technology and its potential benefits in tourism and hospitality education. Integrating VR technology in tourism and hospitality education has garnered attention as a promising tool for enhancing skills and knowledge acquisition. However, the adoption of VR technology is still a relatively new experience for students in this field, and there is a need for further research on their perceptions of this innovative approach. This qualitative study employed a thematic analysis to explore the perspectives of tourism and hospitality students from two public Saudi Arabian universities on integrating VR into their education. Analysis revealed four themes related to VR integration in the classroom: compelling, inventive, knowledge contribution, and obstacles to realization. These themes highlighted the benefits and challenges of adopting VR technology in universities. Students anticipated that VR would complement current teaching and learning methods, enhance confidence, and provide a safe and enjoyable environment for problem-solving. However, the cost of technology was cited as a significant barrier to integrating VR into tourism and hospitality education, emphasizing the need for constant face-to-face feedback. The results of this study allow us to conclude that the integration of VR can promote learning, supplement current educational methodologies, and provide tourism and hospitality educators with innovative and engaging means of delivering knowledge. These findings have important implications for the future development of VR technology in tourism and hospitality education and highlight the need for further research on the pedagogical benefits and challenges associated with its use in this field. Keywords : Virtual Reality, Tourism, Hospitality, Edutainment, Saudi Arabia DOI： https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.58.4.80

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