3. Virtual reality as a tool for tourism

Technology is constantly providing new technologies and industries are looking for new implementations of those technology all the time. The same thing applied to Virtual reality (VR). This technology creates the virtual worlds designed by programmers and the only limit of that creation is their imagination. Those are environments created with help of computer programs and accessed with help of VR glasses which are essential part of this technology. Created realties are built in 3D and humans can interact it with them just like they are real, with help of engaging all five senses.

The technology is relatively new and is still developing and gaining popularity. As it gets more widely applicable the devices that are necessary to use it are getting better and allowing its users to have better experiences. The VR headset is most popular as a gaming tool for gaming consoles but as the development goes further the more application are being introduced to businesses as well. Technology is already being used in architecture for planning and sustainable development.

Virtual reality at the current stage developed into three main categories: non-immersive, semi-immersive and fully-immersive. The first category is most commonly known and is related to computer games where the created environment is fully artificial and the user remain more as a spectator than as an active user. Semi-immersive means that the created world is not fully artificial and allow user to interact with it. It is most commonly used for training purposes. Fully-immersive reality is not there yet, it is still developing and but it provides the most complete experience. It allows users to feel like they are actually in this world and feel all the sensation that comes with it.

Very similar technology is an Augmented Reality (AR) which doesn’t require use of glasses. It is combination of real world and virtual world. To be more specific AR gives real world the elements of virtual ones. Through the phone camera user are able to see elements that do not exist on the screen. It can provide graphic elements or sound. So, AR is a combination of real world and VR elements visible with the help of software installed on mobile devices.

To gain most complete experience of VR, the manufactures provide much more equipment than just glasses. As all five senses can be engaged the equipment like 3D mouse, optical trackers, wired gloves, motion controllers, omnidirectional treadmills and smelling devices are available to buy. The combination of all of them gives its users almost real-world experience.

Many industries already took advantage of development of this technology. It can be used not only for entertainment but also for training, tryouts and communication. Companies like Metaverse already working on developing a virtual environment that can allow user to have most convenient are realistic experience of conference or other activities.

Tourism is one of the industries that are trying to implement VR ad AR into their activities. The first that might come to mind is a virtual tourism. The virtual photography and video taken with help of 360 degrees cameras can be accessed. Those can be accessed by VR glasses but also with devices like cell phones. These media allow to rotate through it to see an image that reproduces a situation of actually being there. The cameras are able to catch every angle so with help VR headset and user movement it is possible to watch all the surrounding. There are plenty of examples of this technology being used online.

But this not the only application of VR in tourism. Travel agencies are using them to promote their product and gives a little inside of what the customers might expect from it. Same companies replaced travel brochures with VR during events to gain some interest and stand out from competition. Similar things are applied by hotel that gives virtual tours over their facilities so the potential clients can have better visualization of what is being offered to them and what are the standards of the place before deciding to choose them. As traveling is a big part of tourism industry, some travel agencies also implemented VR abilities into their activities. For example, airline using VR to present its passengers the safety tips before the flight begins, and later to provide the entertainment during the flight, or some virtual tour where they introduce some places or activities that are available for passenger in the place of destination.

At the moment VR is not fully developed and it’s hard to conclude that it will replace tourism in anytime soon. Tourism is not just sightseeing but also food, sunbathing and other things that VR is capable to replace at the moment. But already it can affect sustainability as marketing is slowly being moved to virtual environment and the need for organizing events or tours and lower than before. There is less need for printing advertising or informational materials and equipping offices with paper and so on. Also visiting cultural sited, museums or overcrowded places with help of VR can give similar or even better sensations as visiting those places physically. That can contribute to lower carbon footprint left by traveling by car or plane and reducing the damages caused by human presence and produced wastes.