How Many Ways VR Technology will Replace Travel?

Virtual reality technology has gained global traction, with consumer products like VR headsets becoming widely accessible. While the gaming industry has been a major driver of VR’s adoption in homes, other sectors, including travel, are increasingly recognizing its potential as both a marketing tool and an immersive experience. Virtual travel experiences now allow users to explore distant destinations like Machu Picchu and Antarctica, scale Mount Everest, dive through coral reefs, visit museums in New York, and much more. Efficient VR development company like Travancore Analytics provide marketers with an effective way to give customers a preview of these experiences, catering to the demand for memorable, experiential offerings rather than traditional products.

Before booking a hotel, travelers often seek extensive information. This can involve reading descriptions, browsing photos and videos, watching tutorials, reviewing customer feedback, and seeking opinions on social media. However, the strategic use of virtual reality can streamline this process significantly. According to Statista, 50% of global travelers now turn to VR to simplify and enhance their booking experience. Leading companies have responded to the growing demand for VR integration, which is becoming as essential for the travel and tourism industry as a website or VR app. Notable examples include Amadeus' VR booking tool, Airbnb’s virtual field trips, and Alton Towers’ Galactica VR rollercoaster experience. Adding VR to the travel industry might revitalize it. Some of the major ways VR Technology will augment travel and improve the tourism sector are listed below.

1. Virtual Travel Experiences

Virtual reality (VR) tours of cities and museums saw a significant rise in popularity during the pandemic. To travel with VR, you must be in a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment. Hotels, travel agencies, and other tourism-related businesses now have the chance to give prospective customers an immersive experience. This implies that visitors will be able to experience some of the biggest attractions which would bring them to a particular location.

For example, First Airlines provides immersive VR travel trips to locations like Paris, Hawaii, and Rome to their customers. First-class flight tickets with four-course meals are followed by VR tours of the destination's principal attractions. You can enjoy virtual trips through Oculus, Google Earth VR, and Immerse from The Hydrous. The Zion Narrows Experience enables visitors to Zion National Park to explore the striking sandstone structures. The Madrid Tourism Authority has started providing a virtual tour of the Spanish capital in advance of a real trip. The trip involves a tour guide electronically surfing across Madrid's streets and stopping at locations when the tourist has questions, which requires a visitor to arrange a 30-minute appointment on the authority's website. With the help of the German startup Timeride, you may take an immersive virtual voyage around cities at various moments in history.

2. Hotel Tours

One of the most outstanding examples of VR in the travel sector is the virtual tours of hotels and hotel rooms. Before making travel plans, tourists can research lodging options and potential destinations to determine whether they are worthwhile. One of the key reasons hotel VR marketing has become popular is because travelers can make well-informed decisions and the hotel is up to date on current digital trends. Additionally, it should be emphasized that using affordable software programs from VR app development companies allows VR tours to be conveniently integrated into an online presentation. The virtual tour of the Atlantis Dubai highlights all the main features of the resort, from its arched entrances to its palatial gathering rooms. With its virtual reality hotel tour, Holiday Inn Express has adopted a somewhat proactive environment, letting visitors observe customers going about their daily lives when checking in, sipping cocktails in the lounge, or conducting meetings in the luxurious conference room.

3. Travel Booking Interface

The use of VR has been advanced by some companies as they have developed an entire booking process and user interface that can be experienced through a VR headset. This effectively eliminates the need to book a hotel or airfare using a typical computer mouse or touch screen. When combined with other VR applications, this can result in a much more seamless booking process where the user can look around different hotel rooms and amenities, compare different room types, explore nearby attractions, and look up important information or facts all in one location. In a new VR booking process from an Amadeus company, Navitaire, you can buy a plane ticket and choose your seat by walking around the actual aircraft. This improves the booking process and makes it easier, more seamless, as well as more enjoyable.

4. Virtual In-Flight Experiences

In-flight VR spans from standalone headgear to full-seat integration and can be a significant differentiator for airlines looking to differentiate themselves from their competition. For clients who have a phobia of flying, British Airways has created a variety of therapeutic courses, such as guided meditation and sound treatment. Additionally, 3D movies will be available to First Class passengers on British Airways' Heathrow to New York JFK flights. On flights from Heathrow to New York, films, documentaries, and travel shows will be offered in 2D, 3D, or 360-degree formats. The Qantas VR app gives users the option to explore nearby sights on foot, via drone, or just to sit still and take it all in either Sydney Harbour, Mornington Peninsula, or Rottnest Island.

Virtual Travel and the Future of Tourism

Leading investment research firms like Piper Jaffray and Goldman Sachs have been encouraging stakeholders to support VR’s growth in the travel industry. Goldman Sachs estimates that by 2025, the VR software market will reach a value of $35 billion. The trend-like elements of VR in tourism are gradually giving way to more practical and lasting applications, with one of the biggest benefits being greater accessibility.

VR makes it possible for people to experience tourist sites even with limited finances. With a sustainable economic model and a commitment to eco-friendly tourism, VR is set to become a major force in the travel and tourism sector. At Travancore Analytics, we bring extensive experience in creating VR travel applications for clients globally. Combining industry insight with cutting-edge AR, VR, and MR technology, we provide comprehensive solutions for all extended reality needs.