(TAN): These are unprecedented times. In more ways than one. In fact, the future of travel which we have so anxiously been looking forward to has arrived.
COVID-19 has made unique things happen. No, not just in terms of confining the whole world to their homes. It has also brought the outside inside. With the shutdown of almost all travel for the past three months and growing uncertainty around safe travel in the coming days, it will likely be a while before the sector returns to pre-COVID levels.
It is now that Virtual Reality (VR) is gaining momentum, as it enables travellers to explore the remotest parts of the planet right from their living room, and that too without having to go through the hassle of obtaining a visa. Virtual tours have emerged as almost a saviour for the wanderer at heart, offering a peek into national parks to museums to entire cities.
And why just tours? As our leisure activities, business meetings and family reunions move into virtual worlds more and more, VR could soon take over the way we communicate with the world around us. A trip to Mars could look as regular as an outing to the nearest beach.
VR can be used for easing consumer uncertainty
According to reports, United Kingdom-based GlobalData has found in its newest consumer survey that 45% of global travellers are awfully worried about the pandemic. As consumer uncertainty becomes one of the biggest challenges for operators, it can also serve as an opportunity to bring VR into the picture. It can be used as a supplementary means to clear doubt associated with booking, giving the travel companies an edge in the process.
Travel and Tourism analyst at GlobalData, Johanna Bonhill-Smith reportedly said VR enables customers to experience a trial before they book their holidays, a practice that is becoming increasingly important because of circumstances shaped by COVID-19.
Herrenberg, a German town about 30 kilometres south of Stuttgart, has done something similar. The town has replicated itself in VR so that tourists can gain an insight into Herrenberg’s architecture even before setting foot there.
“Some operators were already using VR pre-COVID-19 to offer travelers an insight into their holiday destination, but the ‘try before you buy’ concept may become increasingly important within the booking process due to the impacts created by the coronavirus,” Smith was quoted by Travel Daily News as saying.
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This German town created its digital twin for tourists to explore it digitally first
“You don’t have to make a decision and then see [what happens]; you can see before you make the decision what the effect will be via the digital twin. This makes it easier to make the right decision for our city council, politicians, and citizens,” Nicolai Reith, Head of the Control and Communication department and advisor to the Mayor of Herrenberg, was quoted by The Next Web as saying.
The town is reportedly using the digital twin, which integrates super-computing and technologies characteristically used in advanced aerospace, to imagine emotional responses from people to make improved choices.
“We have a very beautiful city centre so tourists can explore it in a digital way with VR glasses before they come to Herrenberg, which is an interesting benefit for the future,” Reith added.
Herrenberg’s administration reportedly used the digital twin’s interactive and immersive visualisations to check with citizens more extensively on plans such as a local shopping centre.
“Citizens could see the area in a digital way, even before it was finished, and that brings a higher [level of] acceptance. This is a really interesting thing for us,” Reith said.
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VR apps for unique travel experiences
When travelling is no more an option, courtesy the virus outbreak, travellers can find an innumerable range of VR apps at their disposal they can use for a taste of travel.
Ocean Rift, a VR app on the block, enables users to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the open ocean so that they can discover the underwater ecosystem, a report said. Users can follow sea creatures in their oceanic habitats or dive deeper for more exciting experiences, without compromising on their safety.
Google Expeditions, a free app, reportedly allows its users to travel to any place on Earth. Its 360-degree images offer a holistic view enabling users to feel as if they are really travelling.
TravelWorld VR, an American company, has reportedly created a free app for iOS and Android devices to indulge users in 50 immersive experiences. Users can either scroll around the video or move the cellphone around to feel as if they are looking through a windowpane, a report said.
Is VR really here to stay?
Even after the world returns to normalcy, with flights taking off and travellers zooming to all corners of the globe, virtual tourism can still be useful – to instill and enhance wanderlust even before the physical trip has started.
“Even once the spread of COVID-19 has slowed, timely airport procedures, an increase in pricing and more concerns regarding safety will likely affect future travel decisions. A virtual experience beforehand may generate wanderlust, thus raising the appeal of international travel. Immersive, memorable and enticing experiences that VR can offer will help to ease consumer doubt – acting as another factor that can increase future travel demand,” Bonhill-Smith was quoted by Travel Pulse as saying.
Traditional travel has taken a backseat for the time being. But there are experiences that only physical travel can impart – such as the feeling of riding a packed bus in an Indian city, the taste of pizza in one of Rome’s restaurants, or the whiff of salty air at Cape Cod.
VR, although nearly indispensable in the sphere of tourism marketing today and in the coming years, can’t invoke the joy of real travel.
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