Virtual reality can be used in tourism for the travel sector to improve traveller experiences and influence traveller activity. What this modern technology is capable of is truly amazing!
Your tour or activity company can offer a virtual tour using VR. Give prospective customers a taste of the environment at the location they're going to book.
Read on to learn how VR technology is helping out the tourism sector.
#1. Virtual travel
Since VR makes it possible to explore new locations without really going there, some people wonder if virtual travel will ever completely replace actual travel. The sights, sounds, smells, and experiences of being in a fascinating new area are incomparable to those of virtual travel.
However, there are benefits to being able to virtually travel to different parts of the world, not the least of which is the ability to research places before deciding whether to visit them in person.
Visitors who want to explore isolated, challenging-to-access, or environmentally sensitive locations without people trampling the landscape can do so through virtual travel. The VR experience allows viewers access to a spectacular glacial lake that is difficult to reach in real life by experiencing the mountain landmark Monte Fitzroy and in particular Laguna Sucia, the secluded glacial lake that is located at the mountain's base.
#2. Virtual hotel tours
Travelers may now thoroughly research hotels before making a reservation, sort of like "trying before you buy" (or "flying," depending on the situation). A number of upmarket resorts, including a bunch of resorts in The Maldives, are now adopting virtual tours as a method to showcase their breathtaking settings and top-notch services.
Furthermore, many of these tours can be taken without a headset using just a phone, tablet, or computer, so you can explore your upcoming vacation spot without one.
One such instance is the breathtaking 360-degree virtual reality (VR) movie made by Atlantis, the Palm in Dubai, which is located on The Palm Jumeirah, the well-known artificial palm-shaped atoll. The film gives a quick overview of the hotel's main attractions, including the grand lobby, the Royal Bridge (the hotel's largest suite), one of the undersea suites, the renowned Nobu restaurant, the aquarium, pool, and waterpark, and a walk around the grounds at dusk.
#3. Test drive excursions and attractions
VR can assist guests test-drive various tours and excursions available in their preferred locations, in addition to checking out various accommodations. In other words, you can sample different activities before deciding how you want to spend your time and money when you go to your destination. Therefore, using virtual excursions can help travellers make the most of their limited vacation time.
As a result, a consumer may be more likely to book a vacation after they have a better sense of the wonderful adventures on offer in a resort. However, VR tours may also serve to drive bookings in the first place. Thomas Cook, a British travel agency, tested out immersive VR experiences that let users simulate various adventures, such as a helicopter tour of Manhattan.
Customers who participated in the 5-minute New York VR experience in-store increased their vacation bookings for New York by 190 percent, according to the business. That must cause travel agencies to sit up and take note as they are eager to increase bookings following the outbreak.
#4. Immersive navigation
So, you've already virtually travelled to your desired location, had a virtual reality tour of your resort, and even participated in a few virtual excursions. At this point, you have reached your destination and are prepared to visit your first landmark. If you could only locate it.
This is where augmented reality, specifical navigation, can be useful. It's not surprising that Google Maps now has an augmented reality function for people who are walking about because it's the software that most of us use for navigation. The augmented reality route-finding feature, known as Live View, was introduced in 2019 and works with all ARCore and ARKit-enabled smart phones in areas where Google Street View is already present.
The concept is straightforward: Using the Google Maps application and the aforementioned AR-enabled gadget, large arrows, and clear directions are superimposed onscreen onto the street view to direct users in the right way and in the right direction to turn.
The concept may be straightforward, but it's innovations like this that make travelling abroad so much simpler. Therefore, AR-enhanced route-finding is for you if you ever get lost in a bustling foreign city or if you simply find it difficult to understand 2D maps.
Conclusion
Virtual reality integration has an impact on how you conduct business. It also provides a strong argument for why clients choose a specific location before booking a reservation. This is vibrant. The best graphic material is displayed there. Compared employing a typical destination description and tour schedule, has a bigger impact on customer preferences.
Relevance is the key to retaining consumers' attention when it declines. Essentially, this means that fewer individuals are patient enough to read through traditional travel sales pitches and itineraries.
Want to experience the exciting metaverse touring? You can check out WowExp which provides a metaverse experience to all age groups. You can experience your own city in a digital form. So grab your VR gears and join us!
WoWExp Technologies