Top 11 ways for Travel and Hospitality to use Virtual & Augmented Reality

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By: Alan Smithson, CEO MetaVRse

Marriott Augmented Reality Portal to Paradise

By the end of 2019, there will be over 2 billion smartphones enabled with powerful augmented reality (AR) capabilities. By 2025, virtual, augmented & mixed reality (XR) will create over $1 trillion in value globally impacting every business in the world. Massive transformations in the way we train our staff, design our products and sell our services. With 5G technology about to create a hyper-acceleration in computing power, we will look back at these tiny boxes we carry around in our pockets with their 5” rectangle screens and laugh as if they were the brick phone of the 90’s.

Spatial computing is coming and fast. This means that every real person, place and thing will have a digital duplicate. Every person will have an avatar for virtual worlds. Every place on Earth and places not here will be represented in a digital copy that is indistinguishable from reality.

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Imagine you want to chill out on the balcony of the resort you stayed at and just relax and enjoy the view of the sunset, but your vacation was months ago and you can barely remember what it was like. Luckily, the resort has stunning 360° video of sunsets from every location on the resort to choose from so you can enjoy a mini vacation any time.

Or how about donning your glasses, selecting the ‘Explorers’ adventure. 5 doors appear around you and each one is a portal instantly transporting people into the Costa Rican jungle or the Australian Outback to learn more about the incredible activities the adventure company offers.

What about pulling out your phone, scanning your coffee table and seeing a fully 3D scale model of the golf course in augmented reality that you are about to play next week so you can plan your shots in advance. Internet of things (IoT) sensors in the cup allow for a real-time view of the pin location and you can see the ideal shot arc based on your actual swing that you analyzed using an app on your phone. One click and you are standing at the first tee looking at your shot in a full 360° view, all from your living room.

“This is the power of virtual, augmented and mixed reality (XR) and this is what you need to start building for now, before the next wave of human computing blows past you. Your customers will soon be expecting to virtually pre-experience their travel and hospitality potential selections in the same immersive and seamless way as they are/soon will do with everyday CPG to big-ticket purchases and their entertainment.” Said Michael Cohen, Strategic Advisor at UGO Virtual. “The tools and abilities for guests and consumers to share their travel and hospitality travels and stays “post-experience” in an immersive virtual manner will be key” he finally said.

Still not convinced?

Here are 11 reasons why you need to start using XR immediately:

  1. Drive more sales leads
  2. Inspire booking confidence
  3. Ensure that expectations meet reality by offering a virtual experience that feels real
  4. Expedites booking decisions
  5. Bolsters consumer confidence by allowing guests to preview your property
  6. Create deeper connections with your customers
  7. Reach previously untapped audiences
  8. Increase the level of engagement between your brand and your customers
  9. Create new revenue opportunities for digital content (ie. filming VR for customers)
  10. Access to extensive data and analytics
  11. Remove language barriers and reach broader audiences

Here are 11 incredible ways on how you can use XR for travel, tourism and hospitality:

AR Navigation

VR Photobooth™

AR Travel Portal

  1. MetaVRse AR Teleportal
  2. Marriott Portal to Paradise

XRMedia Promo Reel

Niagara Falls 360°

Preview your next flight in 3D on web

Augmented Reality and 3D Web Food items (3D Food & Drink)

VR Trip Planner (Kayak VR)

AR Baggage measuring tool (Kayak AR Tool)

In-Flight VR Entertainment

Attend Virtual Conferences & Events

Augmented reality navigation for resorts, conference centres and theme parks

Virtual Tours

  1. Viking Cruise Ship 360° Tour
  2. Hamburg Planetarium
  3. Eagles Nest Resort

There you have it, 11 ways you can use virtual, augmented and mixed reality (XR) in your travel, tourism or hospitality company and why you should do it now.

So where do you start?

Start by contacting our team at MetaVRse. We have experience with every type of XR technology and the team that can build and deliver all of the above experiences fast and within your budget.

You can email me directly with your request and I will personally make sure you get connected with the best possible solutions for your needs. If it doesn’t exist, we will invent it (we have built several world firsts including the VR Photobooth™, AR Teleportal and WebAR.

Email me your request today: alan@metavrse.com

About MetaVRse

MetaVRse is a leading Virtual, Augmented & Mixed Reality (XR) product development company focused on the business applications of XR technology. CEO Alan Smithson is an XR Advisor to SXSW, TechStars & TKS mentor and a Judge for Auggie Awards. COO Julie Smithson is the President of the VR/AR Association Toronto Chapter.

For more information, visit www.MetaVRse.com

Don’t forget to give us your 👏 !

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Alan’s purpose in life is to inspire and educate future leaders to think and act in a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable way.