Virtual Tourism – Possible Future?

Virtual Tourism – Possible Future? is an investigation of tourism, the virtual and the possibilities it can offer for places like Norway. It takes the form of a video where I aim to introduce the topic of virtual tourism, what the benefits and challenges are and how it compares to commercial travel. Many see virtual tourism as something that won’t be able to “replace” the experience of travelling something abroad, but when looking at the environmental aspects, can we afford to look for a perfect substitute?

This video uses puffins as a case study of an iconic cultural species and the environmental aspects of tourism impacting the species. Puffins are considered a vulnerable species, and with tourism being big in Norway, the population will continue to be impacted unless something is done.

While virtual tourism may not be a perfect solution to fixing climate change or the tourism industry, reducing the amount of air flights, the biggest contributor to carbon emissions out of all transport, and waste produced by tourists is a step forward towards greener travel.