Extending the Ansoff Matrix to Metaverse Tourism: An Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Conceptual Framework for Digital Growth Strategies

Abstract

This study develops a strategic framework for examining how metaverse-related technologies may support tourism growth across the four domains of the Ansoff Matrix: market penetration, product development, market development, and diversification. The research adopts an exploratory conceptual design that combines the Ansoff Matrix with AI-assisted scenario ideation and a narrative, literature-supported plausibility assessment. Ten structured prompts were used to generate candidate scenarios. The outputs were treated as an ideation aid rather than as interviews, expert testimony, or empirical observations. Candidate scenarios were retained only when they were conceptually consistent with the Ansoff categories and supported by relevant academic literature or documented tourism practices. The synthesis identifies five cross-cutting opportunity areas: hyper-personalised and sensory-responsive experiences; multisensory services and digital twins; accessibility and social inclusion; blockchain-enabled participatory experience economies; and hybrid, sustainability-oriented tourism. The framework positions these opportunities as conditional growth options while highlighting uncertainty, infrastructure constraints, privacy risks, accessibility gaps, and the need for empirical validation. The study extends a classic strategic-growth model to metaverse tourism and offers a structured agenda for destination management organisations, tourism firms, and future research. It does not claim to predict adoption outcomes; instead, it provides a transparent framework for organising and testing alternative strategic pathways.