Commentary

New Virtual Reality

Virtual reality has been a hot topic in the travel industry for well over a year now. Brands ranging from Marriott to Carnival are using the technology to transport people to new and adventurous landscapes right from their seats. As with any emerging piece of tech, new breakthroughs and developments feel like a monthly occurrence. So what exactly is happening in the VR space now and how can it impact travel marketing? Let’s dive in and theorize a few of the many new possibilities!

HTC Vive: New Toys Means New Fun

What Is It?

HTC’s much anticipated proprietary VR product, Vive, was released in April and has floored developers and consumers alike. Leveraging light laser sensors called Lighthouses and handheld controllers, the Vive gives users a sense of exploration that competitor predecessors have lacked. With the ability to track body positioning and hand placement, Vive experiences have become a lot more interactive. 

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How Does This Affect Travel Marketing?

Previously, brands such as Marriott and Carnival Cruise Lines have created VR experiences that transport consumers to various travel excursions. In many ways, this is the closest the travel industry can get to a “try before you buy” strategy. Implementing the incredible Vive features, these on-the-rails style experiences can be so much more. Imagine being able to walk through a German beer festival or swim with dolphins along the reefs of Hawaii. The power of exploration here gives each consumer their own unique experience that is only rivalled by the real thing. 

Samsung’s Bedtime VR Stories: Parenting Across The World

What Is It?

Samsung is connecting families even when they’re not together through VR. With their new app, Bedtime VR Stories, parents can remotely connect to their children and explore VR landscapes straight out of storybooks. Represented by avatars, they can experience new worlds side by side from anywhere around the globe. While many may fear how VR could make humanity disconnected from one another, Samsung is actually using it to connect us!

How Does This Affect Travel Marketing?

If we can take trips to imagination land together, then what’s stopping us from exploring foreign lands with friends and family all over the world? With accessible VR solutions like Google Cardboard, why not take a group VR tour with your cross country buddies? Explore, immerse and converse together to make your next big vacation plans. By allowing consumers to connect with one another through digital platforms, travel brands can build a community of people who will advocate for their brand. 

This also births an entirely new role in the tourism marketing field, a VR tour guide. Travel guides and specialists have the potential to join consumers on their VR journey remotely, offering new levels of brand engagement and education. While the autonomy of VR can be a barrier to entry for an older demographic skew, maintaining the integrity of interpersonal communication will broaden its accessibility. 

What’s The Lesson Here?

As VR advancement creates new possibilities, more consumer engagement opportunities emerge. Travel brands might be the greatest beneficiary of these opportunities, allowing them to finally deliver consumers trial and sampling. Not only is VR an immersive medium to engage consumers, but also builds a community platform that advocates for your brand. With all of the benefits to investing into VR experiences, will you become an early adopter?

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