DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION AND CHANGING TOURIST BEHAVIOR IN TOURISM
Abstract
The article analyzes the growing role of digital technologies in the tourism industry and their impact on tourist behavior. The impact of virtual reality (VR), augmented and mixed reality (AR/MR), immersive environments, and digital reconstruction mechanisms on tourist perception, decision-making processes, and motivation for choosing destinations is highlighted. The theoretical foundations of re-experiencing objects with limited physical presence or subject to degradation in digital format are also revealed. Along with the practical potential of the digital transformation process in the tourism sector of Uzbekistan, risks and barriers related to technological, financial, personnel, and user acceptance are briefly analyzed. The research results show that immersive technologies are of strategic importance in tourism marketing, cultural heritage preservation, and the creation of new tourist consumption formats.