Virtual reality technology has grown significantly in recent years. The arrival of Head Mounted Displays (HDM) on the market for end-users has positioned these technologies as a new channel to promote new simulated or contextualized experiences. We have used the design and creation strategy to develop a virtual reality experience for the Oculus GO and Quest HDM. We digitized 30 pieces from nine local museums to provide an experience guided by a character that represents the main artisan work of the local region. A usability test was performed, showing that participants felt a high degree of immersion and realism. They were able to complete the assigned tasks, and results suggest that the software meets the main objective. Furthermore, the creation of this virtual reality (VR) experience has shown how important it is to make users a part of the creation process, as well as to develop a process to make the software useful to them and other users. Some recommendations are made based on the experience of the development, and comments are given on each step of the design and creation strategy.

In recent years, the tourism industry has undergone substantial transformations, integrating new technology to lead to a new era termed Tourism 4.0. These innovations enhance the customer’s travel experience. An emerging trend in travel technology is the application of virtual and augmented reality, facilitating virtual tours that allow tourists to explore destinations without physically being there. We present the experience of developing 360${}^{\circ }$ virtual tours for reserves and natural parks across the four provinces of the Maule Region in Chile including information, 360${}^{\circ }$ images and videos, as well as several other interactions. A descriptive and correlational analysis was carried out with a total of 147 participants that evaluated the virtual tour, showing a positive correlation between the perceived attractiveness of the 360${}^{\circ }$ experience and behavioral intention. Participants had an overall positive perception of the virtual experience; they found it involving and attractive, felt immersed in the environment, and were able to make decisions and interact with static and dynamic objects. The contributions of the present work are as follows: the process and what has been learned and can be recommended based on the experience for developing 360${}^{\circ }$ virtual tours, combining dynamic and stationary elements in 360${}^{\circ }$ in a virtual experience, and the results of an exploratory study that present the interaction with and user perceptions of the virtual environment.