3 Applications of VR in Today’s Travel Industry

The incorporation of Technology has helped travel and tourism companies participate in a race to gain a competitive edge in this dynamic industry. Especially during the pandemic when all activities of the tourism sector face major setback, hundreds of innovative ideas came to life to make different aspects related to travelling more convenient for the customers. Among these innovations, VR is among the most impactful and a major game changer.

What is VR?

VR or Virtual Reality is a form of technology that can provide its user with the immersive and interactive experience of existing in a virtual/digital environment, generally through the use of some visual aids (Images or Videos), sound, smell or other sensations.

Virtual Reality technology generally includes:

• VR headsets;
• VR goggles;
• 360-degree cameras;
• A state-of-the-art video editing software;
• Special microphones for recording the surrounding sounds.

Though virtual reality began as a form of entertainment, recently it has developed to be an effective medium for marketing and other business purposes. Gradually, VR-based user interfaces are replacing the traditional computer or mobile interfaces. Its integration into the travel and tourism industry has improved the situation for both the agencies and the customers.

What is VR in Tourism Industry?

As mentioned before, the incorporation of virtual reality has been a major game changer in the travelling and tourism industry. Travel enthusiasts are always looking to get the experience, before purchasing products. And now through the use of VR, travel companies can sell this experience to give their clients a taste of it beforehand.

Travelling comes with a string of decision-making processes, where the customer could be indecisive before coming to any conclusion. Whether it be regarding choosing the destination, flight or hotel, images and online reviews are not always helpful. However, VR has shortened the length of this process remarkably.

The use of VR in the Travel industry can be categorised as a marketing effort. Since VR can capture any environment in an immersive way, it can provide a virtual tour of hotels, resorts and even tourist attraction spots as a way of trying out before buying in.

Now based on what we have discussed so far, let’s take a look into the three crucial applications of VR which has played vital roles in the travel and tourism industry.

The Use of VR for Travel Experience

Virtual travel experience is typically dispensed through tourism videos made for VR headsets. It is a tactful marketing strategy to divulge the experience of a popular tourist destination to the prospective customer with the aim to make a successful sale.

Deciding where to travel becomes much easier for the customer once the travel agency or tour operators can provide them with a chance to virtually sample the location first. An interactive and captivating experience of the popular attractions can tip the scale of the decision meter to their direction. When a traveller can get a taste of what they will be paying for and travelling to, they are able to make up their minds quickly.

The Use of VR for Hotel Tours

VR can also provide the user with a chance to explore a hotel and its surroundings in a way that gives them the illusion of actually being there. The impact of VR in hotel industry can only be compared to the one of real estate industry.

By using HD cameras and professional equipments, even the finest texture of hotel interior as well as the exteriors can be recorded. Then, after processing the captured image through the finest video editing software, the best interactive experience that is technologically possible is created.

The Use of VR for Social Media/Web Content

Someone who is interested in travelling but has yet to decide on a destination, hotel or other attractions, can get a taste of those through virtual tourism, but they can also do it from their own home.

Most VR tours are monoscopic, so devices like mobile phone, tablets and desktops can aptly portray them on the screen. So after filming and editing these videos they can be uploaded to the social media accounts of the travel agency as well their official websites which then can be viewed at any time by potential clients.