I'm skeptic about virtual tourism.
We already have 4K HDR screens that display gorgeous pictures, but people still go to the museum to admire paintings.
Tourism is more of a social act than a content-consumption one. People brag when they go to the museum, but never when they binge-watch paintings at 3 AM on the Internet.
Virtual tourism is like Soylent. Soylent doesn't replace good food. It replaces crappy fast food. Virtual tourism won't replace going to an art gallery for real. It replaces never going at all.
I could see it really enriching the lives of those who can't afford to travel.
I do it myself sometimes with Google street view. I'll go "visit" some random place.
Most people travel to relax, explore and feel better, not to brag.
Why do you think people consume porn instead of having the real thing?
Society still treats travel and vacations as an extravagant, frivolous activity to be "earned", rather than one of the fundamental joys of life which should be regularly experienced.
Also, visiting fictional places will only be possible through virtual tourism, or fantasy tourism if you will.
Tourism is more of a social act than a content-consumption one. People brag when they go to the museum, but never when they binge-watch paintings at 3 AM on the Internet.