Notes from the Editor: While we sure don’t know what 2020 will bring (and I’m not even talking politics) we do know that augmented and virtual reality will be marching forward, like an unstoppable tank, into the travel biz. So of course, this month we focus on some predictions. Take a look.
What Will Travel Be Like in the Year 2040? Businesstravelerusa.com
A futurology report predicts airline passenger numbers will double, facial recognition systems will replace passports, and moon shots will be as easy as catching a flight to New York. By the year 2040, international travel will be a faster, easier and more ecologically sustainable activity than ever before. READ MORE
Stories about “over tourism” and climate change include AR and VR now:
Why Tourism Should Die—and Why It Won’t Newrepublic.com
These aren’t easy days for travel touts. The class of journalists who enjoy comped experiences at Hawaiian resorts and Michelin-starred restaurants don’t normally generate a lot of public compassion. But I couldn’t help feeling a few pangs of sympathy for the writers and editors who put together The New York Times’ recent travel package “52 Places to Go in 2020.” READ MORE
The Future of Travel in a Climate Crisis Harpersbazaar.com
Where will you go in 10 years’ time? The answer may be both closer to home and much further away. Concerns about air travel’s contribution to the climate crisis (flying accounts for about 2.5 per cent of global carbon emissions) mean that we’ll spend more time exploring our own backyards. READ MORE
Want to know how air travel can change within JUST 5 years?
Delta Lays Out Vision for Future of Travel at Tech Show in Las Vegas Ajc.com
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian wants to transform the air travel experience by the year 2025. He envisions that when you request a ride to the airport, Delta’s app could recommend how early you need to leave based on highway traffic, and which airport security checkpoint has the shortest lines. Your bags would be picked up from your home and delivered to your hotel, so you wouldn’t need to lug suitcases to the airport or wait at baggage claim. You could choose which seats to book during a virtual walk through the plane via augmented reality. READ MORE
Clunky VR headsets of 2016 to this??
Mojo Vision Augmented Reality Contact Lenses Kick off a Race to AR on Your Eye Singularityhub.com
The digital world has been creeping closer to your face. Was a time when a laptop was about as personal as you got with a computer. Then came smartphones, and a few years later, some of us started strapping screens to our heads. Now, in what must be the penultimate step to tapping brains directly, the world has a working digital display in a contact lens. READ MORE
Steampunk Virtual Reality Revelation Thesixthaxis.com
CES is the time of year where companies big and small flock to Las Vegas to show off their latest technological marvels, and Panasonic have unveiled some VR glasses that could revolutionise how we can immerse ourselves in virtual reality. They’ll also go really well with your steampunk costumes for Halloween. These are pure prototype territory, a “reference product” but one that shows a remarkable step forward over current VR headsets. READ MORE
This does sound like fun but do we need another distraction in a mall? I guess MC’s answer is YES.
NexTech CEO Evan Gappelberg calls MasterCard's new augmented reality credit card app 'ridiculously fun' Proactiveinvestors.com
MasterCard has unveiled a new feature designed to help its cardholders maximize their card benefits: an augmented reality (AR) app. The app, coming to iPhones in the second quarter of 2020, creates a photorealistic 360-degree virtual environment that users will see as they scan their phones around them. READ MORE
Curious about the nuts and bolts of using AR to sell online? Do you have 5 minutes? This video showcases some good examples. CLICK HERE