The metaverse, a concept introduced by Neal Stephenson, is rapidly transforming education and tourism. The convergence of extended reality (XR) technologies (AR and VR) offers new opportunities for lifelong learning and immersive tourism experiences, particularly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic's shift to digital modalities. Lifelong learning, a continuous self-directed pursuit of knowledge, finds a new dimension in the metaverse's immersive and interactive learning experiences, promoting experiential learning and a student-centered educational paradigm. The metaverse's application in tourism education simulates real-life scenarios, providing practical insights into complex tourism contexts. However, challenges exist concerning technological infrastructure, connectivity, and perceived usefulness. The Extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) helps understand user motivations and attitudes toward such technologies. The metaverse blurs the lines between education and entertainment, enriching the learning process through immersive engagement. Furthermore, it promotes educational inclusion by addressing concerns related to social care, gender, and physical disability. This study aims to examine the interplay between social, educational, and tourism technologies, identifying factors for adoption and integration, contributing to discussions on digital transformation in these sectors. It explores the metaverse's potential as a transformative tool in both education and tourism, considering public perception, technological advancement, and policy considerations.

Existing literature extensively discusses the metaverse's impact on lifelong learning and education, highlighting its potential to extend learning beyond traditional institutions. The metaverse facilitates personalized, experience-based learning, aligning with educational theories promoting active learner involvement. Studies show VR and AR technologies within the metaverse lead to innovative outcomes due to increased engagement. However, challenges related to digital literacy, equity, and access persist. Regarding metaverse applications in tourism education, the literature emphasizes its ability to provide realistic simulations of tourist environments, offering practical learning experiences not easily replicated in traditional classrooms. It enables simulated virtual site visits and allows for innovative approaches in tourism marketing and management, preparing students for industry demands. However, technical limitations such as high-performance computing requirements and cybersecurity issues are potential barriers to widespread adoption. The effectiveness of metaverse-based learning depends on the learning design and the educator's ability to integrate technology into the curriculum. Public sentiment towards the metaverse is nuanced, including both benefits (accessibility, immersive experiences, environmental friendliness) and concerns (privacy, security, addiction). Cultural factors, such as collectivism and guanxi in China, shape online behavior and information sharing on platforms like Weibo. This study addresses the gap in research by exploring public perception of the metaverse in lifelong learning, particularly within China's digital environment, and guiding policy and practice development for educators and policymakers.

This study employed semantic network analysis (SNA) and sentiment analysis of Weibo posts related to metaverse tourism in China. Data were collected over 1269 days (January 20, 2020 – June 23, 2023) using four keywords: “元宇宙” (Metaverse), “元宇宙旅游” (Metaverse tourism), “元宇宙平台” (Metaverse platform), and “元宇宙事件” (Metaverse event). The SocialSensor platform was used for data collection, followed by preprocessing steps including converting to lowercase, removing URLs, stopwords, punctuation, and special characters. Tokenization and lemmatization were performed using the "jieba" tool. SNA was conducted using a sliding window technique (five words) to identify co-occurrences and visualize semantic networks using Gephi software. Centrality measures (degree and eigenvector centrality) were calculated to identify influential terms. Sentiment analysis was performed using TextMind, categorizing posts into positive, negative, or neutral sentiments. The study's research question focused on assessing social and technological concerns of metaverse tourism and its educational implications, aiming to inform policy development.

Semantic Network Analysis (SNA) of Weibo data revealed a highly interconnected network, with "Metaverse" (元宇宙) as the most central node. Other central nodes included "World" (世界), "Learning" (学习), "Digital" (数字), and "China" (中国). The prominence of "Sci-Tech" (科技), "Technology" (技术), and "Development" (开发) highlighted the importance of technological advancements. Five semantic subgroups emerged: Technology-related, Concept, Market and Product, Digital Assets, and Culture and Development. The Technology-related cluster focused on VR, AR, blockchain, and platform infrastructure. The Conceptual cluster explored the intersection of virtual and physical realities. The Market and Product cluster highlighted economic opportunities. The Digital Assets cluster emphasized NFTs. The Culture and Development cluster focused on cultural exchange and heritage preservation. Sentiment analysis showed a balanced distribution: 56.78% positive and 43.21% negative sentiments. Positive sentiments were associated with enthusiasm and the potential for new experiences, while negative sentiments reflected concerns about privacy, addiction, and ethical issues. The analysis also highlighted the importance of technological infrastructure, cultural sensitivity, and the need for a balance between embracing innovation and addressing potential risks.

The findings address the research question by revealing the complex and nuanced public perception of metaverse tourism in China. The centrality of technology in the SNA highlights the importance of robust digital infrastructure for successful metaverse integration in education. The balanced sentiment reflects the coexistence of optimism and apprehension, crucial for policymaking. The emphasis on “Culture” and “Humanity” underscores the potential for the metaverse to promote cultural understanding and humanistic education, aligning with China's social values. The study supports the theoretical frameworks of metaverse tourism, digital pedagogy, and cultural competence, highlighting the metaverse's potential for experiential learning, enhanced digital pedagogy, and improved cultural awareness. The balanced sentiment underscores the need for a cautious yet optimistic approach to metaverse integration, addressing concerns while leveraging opportunities.

This study contributes to the understanding of the metaverse's role in tourism education and lifelong learning, particularly within the Chinese context. The findings highlight the metaverse's potential as a transformative tool but also emphasize the need for a balanced approach, addressing ethical and social concerns. Future research could explore the long-term impact of metaverse integration on learning outcomes, investigate specific pedagogical approaches within metaverse environments, and further analyze cross-cultural comparisons of metaverse adoption and perception.

The study's reliance on Weibo data might limit generalizability beyond China's digital landscape. The sentiment analysis tool's accuracy might influence the interpretation of public sentiment. Future research could incorporate data from other social media platforms and employ multiple sentiment analysis tools for validation.