VR and Digital Tools Reshape Cultural Tourism Post-Pandemic

Museum visitor dwell time data, once seen as alarmingly low compared to online platforms like Google Arts and Culture, is now reinterpreted as evidence of complementarity between physical and digital experiences. At the Buy Tourism Online event, during a conversation with Digital Mosaik, Stefano Monti of Monti&Taft argued that VR services should be designed as post-visit enhancements rather than substitutes. He identified three target groups: those who will never visit, those planning a visit, and those returning from one. For returnees, VR can enrich memories of overlooked details or artworks seen under poor conditions. Monti stressed that such services must be sold through museum bookshops or city institutions as post-visit offerings, creating ongoing visitor engagement and encouraging repeat visits. He warned that the opportunity is time-limited, as personal recording devices like smart glasses will soon allow individuals to capture their own experiences. The article, published on Artribune Magazine #70, calls for swift investment in integrative virtual services.