Immersive Virtual Reality for Digital Cultural Tourism

With the development of virtual reality (VR) technology, digital technology and informationization have driven the transformation and upgrading of the cultural and tourism industries. Although digital tourism platforms can offer online interactions, they still have several limitations such as technological constraints and insufficient user experience. Digital cultural tourism (DCT) cannot fully replace real sensory experiences such as touch and smell. To enhance the immersive experience of users roaming in the virtual Suzhou Classical Garden (SCG), we focused not only on 3D modeling and rendering but also on enhancing user experience and interactivity. During the 3D modeling phase, we employed geometry-based modeling techniques to create the architectural models and used VRoid Studio to create character models. In the rendering process, the ink wash art style was applied, providing users with a unique visual experience. In developing interactive functions, we implemented voice narration and AI communication, integrating ERNIE-Bot and GPT-SoVITS technologies to inject more intelligence and immersive experience into the dialogue system. This integration enhances the interactive functions and provides users with a smoother and more authentic interactive experience. Additionally, we tested the response rate for the AI communication function and used questionnaires to investigate user experience. The results indicate that virtual scene (VS) design and rendering have received high ratings. In the future, we will continue to develop the functions of virtual characters, striving to provide users with a more immersive virtual tour experience of the SCG.