Abstract: Metaverse is a virtual world that is linked and created by scientific and technological means and that maps and interacts with the real world, i.e. a digital living space with a new social system. Its concept is the integration of multiple underlying technologies, and its essence the Internet of next-generation. The continuous maturity of related technology systems has drawn a clear outline for the development prospects and application scenarios of Metaverse, hence a hit of capital market and one focus of future industrial revolution. Between Metaverse and cultural tourism, in terms of gene embedding, industrial demand and development path, lies a natural connection. Metaverse has promoted the reconstruction of “people-things-field” of the latter, rendering a broad application in games, performing arts, tourism, film and television, which further brings about subversive changes in cultural tourism. At present, the application has been advanced in depth, and the application path has been gradually clarified. Even so, there have still be challenges resulted from risks in monopoly, system, ethics, right and addiction. To promote the high-quality development of cultural tourism, we should take targeted measures in terms of strengthening understanding, developing industry, building benchmarks, promoting pilot projects, building publicity platforms, strengthening ethical supervision, and carrying out legal construction.

Key words: metaverse, cultural tourism industry, application scenarios, meta-universe infrastructure construction, disruptive change, cultural tourism products, digital twin technology, culture, tourism