Let’s be honest. Most of us can’t just hop on a plane whenever we want. Time, money, responsibilities – they all get in the way. But here’s the thing: your living room can become a gateway to anywhere. A comfortable chair, a decent internet connection, and suddenly you’re walking through the Louvre. Or hiking the Inca Trail. Or sipping coffee in a tiny Parisian café that doesn’t actually exist anymore, except in someone’s travel blog.
That’s the magic of armchair travel and global virtual tours. And when you combine them with online reading and travelling, something unexpected happens. You stop being a passive viewer. You become an explorer – armed with context, history, and stories that bring every pixel to life.
The numbers don’t lie
People are hungry for this. In 2025, the global virtual tourism market was valued at $14.56 billion. By 2026, it’s expected to hit $17.15 billion, growing at nearly 18% annually. That’s not a niche hobby anymore – it’s a movement.
And the reading side? China’s online literature market alone reached 50.21 billion yuan (about $7.31 billion) by the end of 2025, up 16.6% from the previous year. Globally, the online reading platform market is expected to grow from $26.74 billion in 2025 to $57.31 billion by 2035.
So yes, people are reading more online. And they’re using what they read to travel – virtually, physically, or both.
Why words beat pictures (sometimes)
Here’s a thought. A 360-degree video of the Grand Canyon is impressive. But reading John Wesley Powell’s Exploration of the Colorado River while watching that same canyon unfold on your screen? That’s different. That’s deeper. Suddenly you’re not just seeing rocks and cliffs – you’re feeling the fear, the awe, the exhaustion of a one-armed Civil War veteran navigating rapids no one had attempted before.
Travelling through reading isn’t a substitute for real travel. It’s a different kind of journey altogether. You log into your favourite reading app, like The FictionMe app; open a book; and step into another world. Whether it’s historical fiction, romance, action or even vampire novels, these stories capture the imagination in a way a brochure never could.
Three ways to start your virtual journey today
Pick a place you know nothing about
Google it. Read a Wikipedia article. Find a blog written by someone who lives there. The less you know, the more you’ll discover.
Find a book that lives there
Historical fiction works particularly well, as do memoirs and travel writing. Even cookbooks can transport you – try reading about Sicilian street food while taking a virtual wander through Palermo’s markets.
Layer your experience
Open a world virtual tour in one tab. Open a related article or book excerpt in another. Switch between them. Read a paragraph, then look around the space. Let the words guide your eyes.
The psychology of armchair travel
Why does this work so well? Scientists have some ideas. Reading activates the brain’s visual cortex – the same areas used when you actually see something. Combine that with immersive imagery, and your brain begins to blur the line between “being there” and “reading about being there”.
Consider this: a 2023 survey found that 90% of UK adults read more while travelling, with 56% buying books specifically for their journeys. Even more striking, 49% of travellers have booked – or would consider booking – a trip inspired by literature.
So what happens when you flip that? Instead of reading during travel, you’re travelling through reading. The effect is surprisingly similar. Your mind fills in the gaps. Imagination does the rest.
What you’re actually getting
When you combine virtual tours with online reading, the benefits go beyond simple convenience. There’s a real sense of freedom in being able to explore somewhere like the Forbidden City at any time of day, without the constraints of travel. At the same time, the experience has more depth – while a virtual tour shows you what a place looks like, reading helps you understand the history, culture, and stories behind it. It’s also a far more accessible way to explore, with much of it available for free or at minimal cost. Most importantly, it creates a stronger sense of connection. You’re not just looking at a destination, you’re beginning to understand it.
Interestingly, people who explore in this way often become more confident and curious travellers in real life. They arrive with context, notice more detail, and feel more connected from the outset.
Real stories, real impact
Take the BookTok phenomenon. By 2025, #BookTok had generated over 370 billion views and more than 52 million posts, pushing unknown titles onto bestseller lists and reviving older ones.
Readers aren’t just finishing these books – they’re travelling because of them. Visiting the same streets, landmarks, and locations tied to their favourite stories.
A 2025 survey by Skyscanner found that nearly half of travellers have either booked, or would consider booking a trip inspired by a book. That’s not coincidence – it’s a clear shift in how people choose where to go.
Your first virtual journey: a simple guide
Don’t overthink it. Here’s a quick way to get started.
Step one: Think of a city you’ve always wanted to visit – Kyoto, Istanbul, Havana, anywhere that comes to mind.
Step two: Open YouTube or Google Arts & Culture and find a walking tour or 3D experience.
Step three: While it plays, search for short stories or travel writing set in that place and read one alongside it.
Step four: Notice how the location starts to feel more familiar as the details come together.
Step five: Try a different city tomorrow and repeat the process.
That’s it.
Why this matters now
Reading for pleasure is declining in many countries. In the US, only 14% of 13-year-olds reported reading for fun almost every day in 2023, down from 27% in 2012. Screen time is increasing, and attention spans are shrinking.
But travelling through reading offers a reason to pick up a book again – not out of obligation, but curiosity. It taps into that sense of discovery, even from home.
A 2025 survey found that 92.5% of young Chinese travellers still believe “reading ten thousand books and travelling ten thousand miles” remains important, even in the AI era. More than a third said they would use AI to turn reading lists into travel itineraries.
So perhaps the saying just needs updating. Read widely. Travel often. And let one inspire the other.
The destination is closer than you think
You don’t need a big budget. You don’t need time off. You don’t even need to leave your house.
Open a browser. Pick a place. Find a story set there. And begin.
World virtual tours show you the streets. Online reading and travelling help you understand the people. Together, they turn your screen into a window – and then into a door.
If you could virtually explore anywhere right now, where would you start – and what would you read alongside it?