Conference Paper

Vrasida, M., & Skourtis, G. (2024, March 8–9). Grounding the cloud: Co-creating the cultural tourism experience in the virtual representation era [Paper presentation]. 1st Intocus International Conference, Tourism and Cultural Heritage: Resilience, Sustainability and Transformation, Athens, Greece.

Authors

Maria Vrasida & George Skourtis

DOI

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Abstract

Culture, both tangible and intangible resources represents the value systems, beliefs, traditions and lifestyles of one society and adding the element of time and history it is transformed to cultural heritage. Development of Information and Communication Technologies (AI, VR and IOT) has been widely suggested and promoted as a tool for the protection, management and promotion of culture and cultural heritage for both locals and visitors alike. Still there are many scholars that remain skeptical as to the extent that artificial visual representation actually complement or antagonize cultural sites for tourism and pose the threat that virtual visits may, in the future, substitute the actual experience.

This paper discusses the role of ICT technologies in improving actors’ resources regarding the development of co-creation opportunities with cultural heritage. The difference in approach will be explored based on tangible, intangible resources of cultural heritage, the ICT technologies, the different generational preferences and attitudes towards technology and co-creation and finally the maturity of the destination in cultural tourism. Case studies with different mix of characteristics will be explored in the Region of Attica. The choice of location can offer a diversity in the level of cultural tourism maturity and different segmentation of visitors.