The seed of Virtual Reality in Tourism had been sown just before the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns provided the right time and space for its growth. Now, the field has grown substantially, promising a good future for it in the travel and hospitality industry.
Stuck at home and can’t travel? Or, do you want to get a glimpse of the place before planning your itinerary? Introducing Virtual Reality in travel, to help you capture fleeting glimpses of the places from the comfort of your home. Let us delve deep to know more.
The context
Just before the Covid lockdown, the seed to VR in travel had been sown and the subsequent lockdowns provided the right time and space for its growth. Now, the field has grown substantially, promising a good future for it in the travel and hospitality industry. VR in travel allows people to log in to the service provider’s application or website, plug-in VR headphones and goggles and get immersed in the experience.
VR in Travel
While making travel itineraries, it’s important to know where we are headed and what to expect. Using VR technology, we can choose the place we are planning to visit, and take a 360-degree close view of the tourist attractions, food joints, restaurants, shopping places, bazaars, religious places etc. After a panoramic view of the place, you can decide which places intrigue you the most, identify the best time to visit them, the number of hours to spend, activities to do and the right type of people to take with you.
Although all this information is available on the internet today, watching them up close and deciding for yourself is a much better experience. Some of the places in India that offer VR experiences through service providers are Kerala, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Taj Mahal, Golden Temple, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hampi, Varanasi and Goa. Tamil Nadu is also working on developing VR and AR technologies for travel enthusiasts and is sure to release an update in the near future.
There are apps like Kerala’s VR video that help you navigate through places and have audio narrating of brief histories or backgrounds of the place as you navigate, making it easier for people to decide. Delhi tourism has an application called ‘Dekho Mere Dilli’ that enables people to have a glimpse of the city through VR, make stay arrangements and plan their complete trip on the app using VR.
VR in Hospitality
Gone are the days when you used to visit every hotel in person, check out amenities and then book a stay for yourself and your family. These days, you can simply check out their 360-degree view on their website or application and determine if the property is suitable for you. Having a real-time look at the place helps you decide if the bedding is right, bath fittings are right for you and there are other features to accommodate all that you require. VR in hospitality actually enhances customer experience as customers know what to expect and hence are satisfied with the offerings during and after the stay.
In Conclusion
Enhancing every bit of customer experience is key. With technology, not only do customers get value for their money, they are better prepared, focused on their needs and go with the right expectations to enjoy a heartwarming stay and travel experience.
(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)
