Virtual reality technology has sent shockwaves throughout industry over the past few years, across various verticals, and VR hardware is quickly in the process of going mainstream. It only takes that one killer app to suddenly attain mainstream proliferation, and the blog written here by AIHubSpot provides the fresh perspective that the travel industry will be the most to benefit from the advantages afforded by VR. We’re all in need of a break, in the wake of the stress induced by the pandemic. 

VR consists of the utilization of a specialized headset, which assists in putting the consumer in an electronic environment. Previously the domain of science fiction, and maybe even speculative science at one point, VR is now a concrete reality, with it set to take over and redefine the ways in which we interact with the (albeit digital) world. Enhancing reality with supplementation is the dt.omain of Augmented Reality (AR), but that’s another topic for another discussion, one that we’ll undoubtedly have soon enough – that being said, let’s get down to the fun stuff. 

VR has a storied past, it has come to the frontlines of mainstream consumer technology as of late, owing to high-powered VR headsets manufactured by the likes of juggernauts like Sony and Samsung, in addition to more affordable options from unlikely entities, like Google. The anomaly of Google not entering into the high-end space with their own VR offering, is rather curious indeed, but it might be indicative of an uncanny understanding of prevalent market conditions. VR adoption rates still leave a lot of be desired. 

It is to be noted that several of the use case scenarios for VR revolve around the entertainment aspect of things. The technology, however, is also being deployed in a number of innovative and unique ways. For instance, VR hardware can enable marketers to upgrade, over just furnishing basic images, assisting customers to ‘experience’ the offering that they are making a purchase on. In addition, various organizations are toying around with VR-based user interfaces, supplanting conventional desktop or mobile interfaces. 

VR in travel 

Organizations that are functioning with the scope of the travel industry have been particularly hard hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, owing to stringent governmental regulations on who can and cannot enter a nation state. The fluid movement of citizens across countries and locations, something which we have taken for granted in the past, has been put to a sudden and total halt. 

Virtual reality serves as a reprieve. Clients who are travelling typically need a large quantity of data prior to booking a hotel room, in order to make that decision. This might require a number of things that the traveler ultimately becomes responsible for, going through descriptions, looking at images, viewing videos, analyzing client reviews or looking for opinions online, the traveler has their work cut out for them. 

Various hotels and travel organizations are currently furnishing VR-based aspects to their websites and applications, enabling clients to experience an electronic version of a hotel room, or maybe even take a gander at one of the tourist attractions. This undeniable immersive nature of VR helps those within the travel industry to give a type of “try before you buy” deal to consumers, who are nary willing to easily part with their hard-earned money. 

VR applications within the travel industry 

VR technology and functionalities have been deployed within the travel industry, however, this is still a nascent trend. However, the numbers are growing and display grounds for optimism. Various organizations are playing around with VR headsets and identifying diverse uses for them. Here, you can learn about several primary applications that have been indicated within the hospitality industry. 

• Touring of hotels 

An ideal use case for VR, within the travel industry, is the scope for the technology to provide digital tours of hotels and hotels rooms to customers, prior to booking. The primary advantage that this provides, is that it enables prospective clients to get a feel for what the premises look like prior to their arrival, providing enhanced transparency in contrast with still images.

• Virtual Booking Interface 

A few businesses have adapted the utilization of VR one further step, providing a comprehensive booking process and experience that can be lived through a virtual reality headset. Basically, this supplants the necessity to utilize a conventional computer tracking device, such as a mouse, or a touch screen in order to confirm train, flight, or hotel bookings. 

When fused with other use cases for virtual reality, this can develop a more streamlined booking experience for clients. The client can be provided with the functionality to look through several rooms and facilities in a premises, makes comparisons with the various rooms/types/categories, and discover local sightseeing, and search for data or facts, all from one spot.  

• Virtual Travel Experiences 

VR is providing hotels, travel agents, consultants, and other organizations functioning within the tourism industry the opportunity to give clients virtual travel experiences. This implies that clients will be able to get a taste of the main attractions that are likely to entice them to a travel location to begin with. 

For example, a hotel room in Paris might be able to give a digital experience of what it feels like from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Likewise, a hotel next to an amusement park might give you a feel for the rides through the virtual roller-coaster experience. The main advantage this technology provides is the capacity to sell rooms, flights and travel products based on the experiences they help create. 

Innovation continues in travel 

With the breakneck progress of technology, it’s not much of a shock that the ways in which we experience things, evolve, and change too. The paradigm shift towards “work-from-home” has brought with it a tantalizing new corollary “travel-from-home.” As business continue to integrate innovation into their organizational structure, as audiences, we are at the brink of a sea change in thinking about how we interact and operate the technology that enhances our lives, on an everyday basis. 

References 

https://www.revfine.com/virtual-reality-travel-industry/