The Narrative Surrounding the Metaverse in Tourism: Media Framing of Innovation in European News

Marlene Cristina Neves Rosa; Mônica Kopplin Carrilho; Rui Alberto de Freitas Martins

doi:10.2478/ejthr-2026-0012

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The Narrative Surrounding the Metaverse in Tourism: Media Framing of Innovation in European News

European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation

Volume 16 (2026): Issue s1 (August 2026)

By: Marlene Cristina Neves Rosa , Mônica Kopplin Carrilho and Rui Alberto de Freitas Martins

Open Access

|Aug 2026

Abstract

This study examines how national news media frame the metaverse and immersive technologies (VR/AR/XR) in tourism across major European markets. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on 126 open-access digital news articles published between 2024 and 2025 in leading national newspapers from Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Portugal. Articles were retrieved using country-language keyword strings combining terms related to immersive technologies (e.g., virtual reality (VR), augmented reality, XR, metaverse, virtual tourism) with tourism-related descriptors. A codebook structured into three analytical dimensions (technology, marketing and tourism) with predefined subcategories was applied to each article. Two researchers independently coded the dataset, with disagreements resolved through consensus and intercoder reliability assessed using Cohen’s κ. The findings reveal a discursive hierarchy in which VR receives the greatest media visibility (n=72), predominantly framed as an operational and experience-enhancing tool within culturally legitimised contexts, particularly heritage and museums. In contrast, the metaverse appears less frequently (n=14) and is positioned in anticipatory and future-oriented terms rather than as a normalised tourism practice. These results highlight how journalistic framing shapes the symbolic positioning and perceived legitimacy of immersive technologies within tourism communication across European media contexts.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ejthr-2026-0012 | Journal eISSN: 2182-4924 | Journal ISSN: 2182-4916

Journal RSS Feed

Language: English

Page range: 154 - 165

Submitted on: Feb 9, 2026

Accepted on: Mar 9, 2026

Published on: Aug 18, 2026

Published by: Polytechnic Institute of Leiria

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 2 issues per year

Keywords:

Metaverse,

Immersive Technologies,

Virtual Tourism,

Media Framing,

News Media,

Tourism Communication

Related subjects:

Business and economics,

Business management,

Business management, other,

Industries,

Tourism, hospitality, travel,

Event industry, leisure industry,

Sports and recreation,

Sports and recreation, other

© 2026 Marlene Cristina Neves Rosa, Mônica Kopplin Carrilho, Rui Alberto de Freitas Martins, published by Polytechnic Institute of Leiria
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 16 (2026): Issue s1 (August 2026)