The Impact Of AR/VR On The Tourism Market

The tourism industry has always been on the cutting edge of #innovation, always looking for new and exciting ways to attract and engage #travelers. The advent of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in recent years has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the travel industry.

 

AR and VR technologies provide #immersive experiences that allow travelers to explore destinations in previously unimaginable ways. Tourists can use these technologies to take virtual tours of landmarks, visit museums and historical sites, and learn about local culture without leaving their homes.

 

Introduction to AR and VR

 

VR headsets completely take over your vision, creating the illusion that you are somewhere else. When worn, the HTC Vive Cosmos, PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest, Valve Index, and other headsets are opaque, blocking out your surroundings. You might think you're blindfolded if you put them on while they're turned off.

 

Virtual reality is the more common of the two trends, but its applications in business may be more limited. The majority of people are familiar with virtual reality (VR) from the video game industry, where it has been evolving for many years. A VR system's main component is a headset that completely takes over the user's field of vision, providing an immersive experience. More advanced VR systems offer audio immersion, extremely high resolution, and positional tracking, allowing users to move around and interact with the virtual environment with their hands.

 

VR system requirements range from a smartphone inserted into a simple cardboard eyepiece to a self-contained headset to wearables that connect to powerful computers that do the majority of the heavy lifting.

 

Virtual reality system requirements range from a smartphone inserted into a simple cardboard eyepiece to a self-contained headset to wearables that connect to powerful computers that do the majority of the processing. Regardless of the technology, there is significant friction for the end user in setting up and using it.

 

Given this friction, businesses must carefully consider where they may want to implement VR. Conferencing is an option, but the benefits of a VR conference must be balanced against the cost of the equipment and its usability. Training has more potential, but it would require a significant investment in the VR training program.

 

Virtual reality is far more immersive than augmented reality. In augmented reality, a device is placed between the user and the physical environment, allowing information to be displayed while the user maintains a normal view of their surroundings. Today, this is usually done with a smartphone or a wearable device, such as Google Glass's early prototype or Microsoft's Hololens. In the future, the technology could be incorporated into commonplace eyeglasses, building windows, or devices tailored to specific situations.

 

The equipment required for AR is simpler on the front end. However, things become more complicated in the back end. While VR necessitates intensive processing to render high-resolution virtual environments, AR necessitates image recognition to analyze the physical environment, as well as network management to transmit data depending on the situation.

 

However, the front end's simplification and the expanded range of possibilities from utilizing the surrounding environment lead to greater potential for businesses. Providing additional information to an end user can be beneficial in a variety of situations. AR is being used in a variety of applications today, including tourist information, equipment specifications for repair technicians, and virtual furnishing for interior designers.

 

Also Read | What is Virtual Reality (VR)? - Applications of Virtual Reality

 

Impact of AR/ VR on Tourism

 

With the ability to captivate human minds, AR is changing the game for marketers, and we will look at how Augmented Reality solutions can help the travel industry. Technology is opening up new avenues for the travel industry to improve the customer experience. However, Augmented Reality has already made significant inroads into the travel and tourism industry.

 

The travel and tourism industry is well-researched. Customers in the travel industry always conduct extensive research before planning their journey, stay, or food places to visit. Even after arriving at their desired travel destination, a customer's quest for data and information does not come to a halt. Furthermore, all of this information is accessible via a variety of mobile devices.

 

The travel industry is all about providing unique experiences, and AR has the potential to support this business sector. Tourism can benefit from new customer service styles enabled by technology. It is expected that Augmented Reality will drastically alter the business models of the tourism industry shortly. Here is a list of ways Augmented Reality is providing value to both end users and the tourism industry.

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Impact of AR/VR on Tourism

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1. AR Apps Ensure No Travelers Get Lost:

 

Finding your way around a new city can be difficult. AR, on the other hand, makes navigation apps smarter by adding digital components such as arrows and other relevant details. AR can improve travel experiences of navigating a new place by integrating and combining smartphone cameras with Google Maps.

 

2. Virtual journey:

 

VR allows us to explore new places without physically traveling there, prompting some to wonder if virtual travel will ever replace physical travel. I do not believe it will. Virtual travel will never be able to compete with the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of visiting a fascinating new location. But there is certainly value in being able to virtually explore parts of the world, not least because we can preview destinations before deciding whether to visit them in person.

 

Visitors can also use virtual travel to visit destinations that are remote, difficult to reach, or must be preserved without humans trampling all over the place. One example of a particularly rich virtual travel experience is the Patagonia VR experience on Oculus Rift. This VR experience gives users access to a stunning glacial lake that is difficult to reach in real life by exploring the mountain landmark of Monte Fitzroy, and specifically Laguna Sucia, the remote glacial lake that lies at the foot of the mountain.

 

3. Virtual hotel tours:

 

Vacationers can check out hotels in greater detail before booking, similar to a "try before you buy" (or "fly" as the case may be). Several upmarket resorts, including several in The Maldives, are now embracing virtual tours to showcase their stunning locations and world-class amenities. Importantly, many of these tours can be accessed via smartphone, tablet, or computer, eliminating the need for a headset to explore your next holiday destination.

 

4.  AR in Hotel Marketing and Advertising:

 

When exploring a hotel, you can use AR to create all-around room tours with lodging details and prices. It is an effective method of marketing and advertising your hotel to entice targeted guests to explore a wide range of hotel services. This converts one-time visitors into repeat visitors.

 

Assume you are in your hotel room and need information on housekeeping, places to visit, distances between locations, and other travel services. So you can get your smartphone or tablet right away, unlock the hotel mobile app, point to a marker, and access the necessary information.

 

5.  Demo excursions and attractions:

 

VR can help travelers test drive different trips and excursions available in their chosen destinations, in addition to checking out different hotels. In other words, you can try out different activities to determine how you want to spend your time and money when you go on holiday. As a result, virtual excursions can assist vacationers in making the most of their valuable holiday time.

 

However, virtual reality trips may help to encourage bookings in the first place - that is, a customer may be more inclined to book a holiday once they have a better idea of the fantastic excursions available at a resort.

 

6. Museums powered by AR/VR:

 

Museums frequently face a lack of trained and experienced personnel, as well as visitor congestion. Furthermore, museum excursions are frequently very generic, lacking in detail, and too hurried. AR technology can solve these problems by providing visitors with comprehensive guided tours of a museum or exhibition.

 

For example, the National History Museum has a Skin and Bones app that uses AR overlay and 3D technologies. By pointing their smartphone at a skeleton, museum visitors can see how the specimen moved or looked, as well as learn about its fascinating story.

 

Also Read | 6 Use Cases of AI in Metaverse

 

What are the benefits of beacon technology brought to travel?

 

Beacon technology, which is being adopted by the hospitality industry in particular, can also improve VR and AR travel experiences. Beacons are unique AR technologies that communicate with users' smartphones via low-power Bluetooth connections.

 

Hotels are currently the majority of businesses adopting this technology. Beacons are placed on physical objects as well as strategic locations such as hallways and lobbies. Visitors can receive real-time information on hotel activities, special offers, and more thanks to the technology. Beacons can also be used to allow guests to unlock their rooms or to streamline the check-in process.

 

Beacon technology is already being used in hotels of all sizes. James Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and Marriott International are among them.

 

The James Hotels, for example, provide their guests with a personalized tour of their art collection that is tailored to the visitors' locations via beacons. Marriott incorporated beacons into their LocalPerks loyalty program. As a result, visitors receive food and spa discounts, as well as golf packages, in or near the hotel's amenities.

 

If your company is thinking about implementing beacons, you should start by analyzing the questions that your visitors frequently ask. Also, consider typical guest purchasing patterns and incorporate beacon technology in places where your guests frequently make a purchasing decision, such as on a menu board outside a hotel restaurant.

 

Conclusion

 

AR and VR are worth implementing in the tourism industry because they can do so much to enhance the traveler's experience. There are numerous exciting applications for virtual reality technology, including virtual hotel tours, test drive excursions, and immersive navigation.

 

The AR/VR market is evolving, with many large corporations, such as Microsoft and HTC Corporation, focusing on developing AR and VR-based tools and hardware (such as AR glasses and VR headsets).

 

If you work in the travel and hospitality industry, we recommend that you experiment with AR and VR technology. We will gladly assist you in developing AR/VR-based applications or advise you on how to use these technologies to supplement your business offerings. Please contact our certified specialists to discuss your upcoming project.