Exploring the Potential of Virtual Tours in Conveying the Sense of Place of a Heritage Site: The Case of Sendang Duwur Pilgrimage, East Java

Virtual tours offer enormous potential in the preservation and documentation of cultural heritage sites. Virtual tours can reach a larger audience for inaccessible and remote sites. The ability to provide immersive spatial experiences can enhance the feeling of being present in a place. This study explored the potential of virtual tours in conveying the sense of place at a heritage site. Aspects of sense of place are qualitatively raised from the participants’ notes during their virtual tour experience. The Sendang Duwur Pilgrimage was selected due to its cultural-historical significance as the remote pilgrimage site from the transitional period of Hindu-Buddhist to Islamic civilization. The results showed that virtual tours evoke some aspects of sense of place, mainly physical attributes, personal feelings, and sequential experiences through transitions and boundaries of spaces. Meanwhile, the aspect of activities and the use of space is the least conveyed aspect of the virtual tour experience.