Travel Agencies and Virtual Tourism: When Technological Innovation Supports Global Sector Resilience

Agences de voyage et tourisme virtuel: quand l’innovation technologique soutient la résilience mondiale du secteur

Al Said Ahmat ()
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Al Said Ahmat: MAGELLAN - Laboratoire de Recherche Magellan - UJML - Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 - Université de Lyon - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Lyon

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Abstract: The tourism sector, particularly vulnerable to health and security crises, highlights the structural weaknesses of travel agencies. In this unstable context, organizational resilience becomes a major issue. Technological innovations, especially virtual tourism, are emerging as strategic levers to overcome certain constraints, enhance customer experience, and expand access to new markets. In addition to supporting the attractiveness of tourism offers, these tools can contribute to more sustainable tourism by reducing the over-visitation of certain destinations. However, their deployment raises challenges in terms of costs, adoption, and territorial inequalities. This research explores how travel agencies appropriate virtual tourism tools to reinvent their business models, increase their competitiveness, and strengthen their adaptability. It revolves around the following question: how are these technologies transforming agency practices in the context of industry transformation? Socio-economic and managerial impact of the articleVirtual tourism generates multiple impacts such as social, economic, and managerial. Socially, it broadens access to cultural experiences while reducing the carbon footprint, thus contributing to more inclusive and sustainable tourism. Economically, it pushes stakeholders to rethink their business models by adopting hybrid and flexible structures, enhancing their adaptability in times of crisis. However, its implementation depends on significant technological investments and strategic collaborations. From a managerial standpoint, this transition requires a redefinition of strategies, the upskilling of teams in digital tools, and more agile governance capable of steering innovation in an unstable environment. Although its development is hindered by the diversity of application contexts, virtual tourism opens new perspectives. This study thus highlights its potential to durably transform the sector, while laying the foundations for a more resilient and innovative ecosystem.

Keywords: Travel agencies; Organizational resilience; Strategic adaptation; Virtual tourism; Virtual tourism Strategic adaptation Organizational resilience Travel agencies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-11-08
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05370423v1
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Published in 8th International Conference on Entrepreneurship for Sustainability & Impact ESI2025., Qatar University, Nov 2025, Doha-Qatar, Qatar

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