A new kind of tourism: Virtual travel in the metaverse
Major technology companies, including Disney, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta (formerly Facebook), are already exploring their own versions of the metaverse. And small companies like Equinox and Delta Reality are interested in working with tourist agencies to develop interactive and even game -like augmented, virtual and mixed reality solutions that highlight different destinations.
A destination has already taken steps in that direction. In September 2021, Seoul became one of the first major cities to announce plans to go “meta” in 2023. Its metaverse platform, temporarily titled “Metaverse Seoul,” will feature some of the highlights. first tourist attraction in the city. Tourists feel as if they are walking through Gwanghwamun Plaza, Deoksugung Palace and Namdaemun Market, in the so -called Virtual Tourist Zone, with no hassle of personal travel. They can even “attend” Seoul’s biggest festivals in the metaverse, including the spectacular Seoul Lantern Festival, surrounded by hundreds of twinkling lights but not by people.
Virtual tourism can serve as a springboard to personal tourism. In early 2022, Madrid launched a free, 360-degree virtual tour in Spanish and English for potential visitors who want to make informed decisions about what to see when they visit Madrid. in person. With approximately 40 of the capital’s most popular tourist attractions on display, users can sample the city, exploring its plazas, museums, gardens, cultural institutions and cathedrals.
“The competition landscape in the metaverse is getting stronger and stronger,” Sivan said, “and we as consumers love it.”
Make virtual travel quick and smooth
No one likes the hassle of a vacation, when the idea is to have fun, explore, escape and relax. Users who want a virtual travel experience will expect the same, meaning the technology must support fluid synchronization between users ’movements and visual acuity in order to travel around one. virtual Egypt or Australia will feel almost as real as possible. Reducing latency is essential to creating this level of ultra-sensory content. This is also true for hotels and resorts that compete for the interest of travelers, seeking to optimize guests ’stays with personalized packages and seamless experiences. One way to do that in the near future could be to offer users a three-dimensional AR tour of a hotel, resort or other site.
