Branding tourism destinations in the metaverse: insights from professionals and researchers

Purpose Having a brand has a great impact on the success of a destination or tourism business. The metaverse has introduced new opportunities for tourism marketing, playing a key role in destination branding. By offering interactive, immersive, and three-dimensional experiences, it strengthens connections with tourists, enhancing their loyalty to the brand. In the competitive tourism industry, destinations that establish a strong presence in the virtual space are more likely to succeed in the future. Metaverse tourism, with its ability to provide a virtual preview of travel experiences, creates a competitive advantage for destinations that adopt it. This technology increases tourist engagement with the destination, enhancing their satisfaction and loyalty. As a result, tourism destinations that consider the key components of branding in the metaverse will secure a larger share of the market. The major objective of this paper is to explore the branding components of tourism destinations in the metaverse. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative method (triangulation method and themed analysis using MAXQDA software) was used to explore the components of destination branding in the Metaverse. Initially, in this research, related articles and podcasts in the field of the metaverse were applied. In the next step, the data was collected through a semi-structured interview with experts in the field of information and communications technology (ICT), tourism and Metaverse. Purposive sampling was used to gather data. To enhance the richness of the research findings, the netnography method was also employed. Findings The findings of this research indicate that destination branding in the metaverse includes 13 main themes such as technology and infrastructure, laws and ethical principles, hyper-personalized, type of experience (Immersion), available attractions for tourists, local community (Avatars), fame and advertising, gamification, innovation, beyond the limits, sustainability, imagination, brand Influence. Utilizing these 13 components resulted in the development of a comprehensive strategy for branding tourism destinations in the metaverse. Practical implications In today’s highly competitive tourism industry, adapting to technological changes and promoting destinations in digital spaces like the metaverse is essential for success. By focusing on key branding components identified in this study, tourism managers can create a competitive advantage for real-world destinations by offering a demo tour as an advertisement, which serves as one of these components, helping travelers make more informed and lower-risk decisions. This approach enhances customer satisfaction and strengthens brand loyalty. Effective application of these branding components will enable managers to secure a larger share of the virtual market and reinforce their competitive edge in both the virtual and real-world tourism markets. Originality/value The originality of this paper is to explore and understand branding components of tourism destinations in the metaverse and can extend the literature review in the field of application of Metaverse in tourism marketing. In addition, this identification provides valuable insights for organizations and tourism authorities on which aspects require special attention when branding their destinations in the metaverse. By paying special attention to the identified components, they can purposefully promote and showcase their tourism destinations in the metaverse, attract more tourists, and increase tourism revenue.