This study analyzes the evolving trends in Metaverse tourism and proposes future directions. Previous research on Metaverse tourism has often focused on isolated areas-such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)-and has lacked integrative and longitudinal empirical studies that capture the diverse and dynamic nature of Metaverse tourism. In response to this research gap, this study employs Dynamic Topic Modeling (DTM) to examine shifts in key themes within news media articles related to VR, AR, and Metaverse tourism from 2016 to 2023. A total of 64,677 valid news articles were collected from Naver News for analysis. The study identifies eight core topics: advanced technology, tourism information, content, tourism-linked products, policy, education, content consumption methods, and experience. The findings reveal that early discourse was concentrated around a limited number of themes but gradually expanded to encompass a broader and more multifaceted range of issues. Notably, the focus of Metaverse tourism has evolved beyond technological innovation to emphasize the practical applications of emerging technologies. Furthermore, there has been a discernible shift from product-centric approaches toward the development of information-sharing platforms. Consistent policy support and the active involvement of the public sector are highlighted as key drivers of the sustainable growth of Metaverse tourism. The findings of this study offer practical insights and contribute to the methodological advancement of Metaverse tourism studies by providing a comprehensive and longitudinal analysis of topic trends.
Yoon et al. (Thu,) studied this question.