Immersive technologies as mediators of cultural sustainability: Transformative learning in UAE tourism education

The integration of immersive technologies into tourism education has expanded possibilities for teaching cultural heritage, yet limited research has examined their role in fostering cultural sustainability consciousness. Grounded in transformative learning theory, this study explores how Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and mobile applications mediate heritage preservation awareness among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study draws on qualitative data from 15 students and 13 instructors across multiple UAE universities, using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. Findings indicate that immersive technologies shift heritage learning from abstract, text-based instruction to embodied and affective experience. Students described immersive encounters as enabling “lived” understanding of historical environments, prompting reflection on modernization, environmental vulnerability, and the fragility of cultural sites. Many participants expressed heightened awareness of preservation responsibilities and the importance of sustainable tourism practices. However, structural and pedagogical challenges emerged, including limited institutional infrastructure, unequal access to devices, and the risk of prioritizing technological novelty over critical reflection. By conceptualizing immersive tools as facilitators of reflective sustainability learning rather than engagement enhancers, this study contributes to tourism education scholarship and offers implications aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 11.4.