In recent years, virtual and augmented reality gained a lot of attention and usage in variety of spheres, so much so that some individuals think that using alternative realities to visit unique places will become more popular than travelling to see them with their own eyes. I do not agree that VR and AR will make the physical travel useless.
Yes, VR and AR could show you the Collosseum or The Leaning Tower of Pisa, for example, but that’s all. You don’t get to hear people around speaking their native language, you can’t go to restaurant to try authentic Italian pizza and you can’t breathe in the air of Italy, because it is simply impossible. That’s why people travel instead of using virtual reality.
Even though travelling is not cheap, it can provide new feelings and emotions, and that’s the unique thing about it. I would rather spend my money to go to Italy than buying VR headset for fake replication, because people explore the world not only to see popular tourist destinations, but to achieve that feeling of meeting something new in their life. People travel to other countries to see unfamiliar cultures, taste flavors that they never tasted before or just to finally relax after a month of hard work.
In conclusion, I am certain that virtual and augmented reality won’t replicate the feeling that can only be obtained when you travel and that’s why I think that physical travelling will always be better than virtual travel, even if it is cheaper and easier.