Yunong W3- Article review

Source: Tourism Analysis. 2013, Vol. 18 Issue 4, p471-477. 7p.

" Second Life: The Potential of 3D Virtual Worlds in Travel and Tourism Industry"

Authors:YU-CHIHUAHUA HUANG; BACKMAN, SHEILA J.; MCGUIRE, FRANCIS A.; BACKMAN, KENNETH F.; LAN-LAN CHANG

Aim:
The purpose of this article is to explore the potentials of 3D virtual worlds in travel and tourism industry by using the Second Life.

Method:
It doesn’t use any designed experiments. This article only uses some literature reviews to discuss some possible uses in Second Life for tourism management and marketing.
First, it introduces the basic information of virtual world and what is Second Life.
Then, the article talks about the potentials of Second Life in Tourism management and Tourism Marketing by giving several examples related to tourism in Second Life.

Findings:
People can design models of some tourism items in the virtual world and then get feedback from “consumers” in the Second Life. It will be easier for managers to know what kind of things the customers want and what need to change in the real world. It is a good way for industries to communicate with their consumers. Also, the industries can use Second Life to hold meetings in order to manage the business efficiently.
For the tourism marketing, they are able to offer tourists a chance experience their tourism destinations in virtual world. the tourism institutions can attract different kinds of people by different kinds of activities or events in Second Life.