Delving into the virtual reality universe to uncover the trends and impact on the travel industry is fascinating. Not only will it affect how consumers buy travel and how it is sold and distributed, VR is having an enormous impact in advancing education, medicine, rehabilitation and learning. And let’s not forget the adjacent technology of AR-Augmented reality. Where VR brings you into a totally new world, AR is the blending of VR and real life such as in the next generation of Google type glasses and Pokémon Go. Check out how Tim Cook, of Apple fame, believes that AR has the potential to have near term mass adoption and affect all aspects of our lives. Wow. But, whether its AR or VR—our goal is to chart the advance of both on the travel industry. Hang on for the ride!
Universal Orlando unveils virtual rality Halloween show
Madison.com- As you enter the dark set — an old library from the 1700s filled with ancient artifacts — at Universal Orlando Resort's new Halloween experience, it's obvious you're in for a creepy time. The actor playing a librarian flips from quirky to spooky as he warns of a deadly curse if you venture into a warehouse filled with powerful, paranormal artifacts. But none of his warnings and babblings can quite prepare you for The Repository, a new virtual reality experience that opened as part of Universal Orlando Resort's annual Halloween Horror Nights. READ MORE
Priceline exec says VR may make travel planning obsolete
SKIFT - It was almost heresy a few years ago to say that people would arrive for a trip in a destination without a hotel reservation. Advances in artificial intelligence and virtual reality in coming years may take that whole trend even further. Will your grandkids say, “Trip-planning: What was that?” The future traveler to London, Paris or Jerusalem may easily plan a trip on the go, avoid changing currencies, and don augmented-reality goggles to see how the bustling alleyways of the Old City looked 200 years earlier. READ MORE
SeaWorld will introduce virtual reality roller coaster
Orlandosentinel.com - SeaWorld Orlando will introduce Central Florida's first virtual-reality roller coaster next summer, retrofitting Kraken with headsets to give riders the sensation of traveling through the sea amid mythical and prehistoric creatures. Riders on Kraken will have the option to don virtual-reality headsets attached to the roller coaster, covering their eyes and ears. They will hear music composed for the ride as they READ MORE
Thememo.com - We’ve told you virtual travel is coming: it’s here – if you have a virtual headset. Sygie, who made the first ever GPS navigation app for the iPhone back in 2009, has just launched the inaugural VR travel app to hit the Oculus Store. And, it’s free. Now anyone with a Samsung Gear VR headset can experience the far corners of the globe from their living room, with the help of 360° videos. Fancy a midnight tour around the Eiffel Tower in Paris? Or a roam through the medieval old towns of Belgium? READ MORE
Ways to incorporate virtual reality into your marketing campaign
Huffington Post - Virtual Reality is undoubtedly one of the biggest emerging industries of today. The potential for this industry to become a juggernaut is undeniable and inevitable. It has been projected, according to Digi-Capital that the VR market will be a $30 billion market come 2020. The idea of Virtual Reality technology has been around - hanging around the precipice of our intellect for over two decades. READ MORE
What does Pokémon Go mean for the travel industry?
Nooz - Travel has always been influenced by new technologies, from planes, trains and automobiles to the web and now to new types of online interaction. The early internet caused a shift from offline to online travel agencies and created an entirely new dynamic for hoteliers and airlines to market and price their services. Web also changed traveler habits. Take Couch surfing & Airbnb. The concept of staying overnight in a person’s home when traveling isn’t new–people have been doing that for millennia. What is novel is the creation of a virtual environment that facilitates interactions & connections. Now there are more than 40,000 places to stay on Airbnb in New York City, compared with 110,000 hotel rooms in the Big Apple. READ MORE
TTG Asia - With virtual reality (VR) technology changing fast and devices like the Oculus Rift and Samsung VR Headset becoming commonplace, it is no wonder that the gaming, entertainment and medical training fields have been revolutionized. The technology is also poised to transform travel. Many tourism players have begun offering VR as part of their business strategy, incorporating the technology as regular sales and marketing tool to stir up interest and drive engagement with clients. READ MORE
Travel distribution industry underestimates the speed and scale of the consumer revolution
Hospitalitynet.org - Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality and the use of portable technology could change travel distribution as we know it over the next 10 years, according to a new independent study released today by the London School of Economics (LSE). At the same time, industry and consumer pressures will generate more complexity in both content and technology. As consumers begin to expect more personalised content throughout their travel journey, the technology managing the differentiation of airline fares and services will become more complex. Those players who do not innovate fast enough to adapt to these changes will miss out on growth opportunities, says the LSE. READ MORE
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