The global COVID-19 pandemic led to many unprecedented moves by leadership to stop the virus’s spread. Halted international travel to many countries, less accessible air travel, and shelter in place orders have everyone sitting in their homes itching to get out. Travel plans for Spring Break, Easter, and early Summer were canceled and who knows what the foreseeable future holds? As the year of social distancing drags on people are looking for an escape from their homes, and Virtual Reality Travel offers just the solution.
Thousands of locations can be experienced through VR Travel, and with the current pandemic tourism companies are making an effort to get these experiences to would be travelers as easy as possible in the hope that when normalcy returns travelers will be keen to see it in person. Australia and Switzerland tourism boards have reconstructed their websites to put virtual tours of hiking trails and geographical wonders front and center. Arguably Australia’s greatest wonder The Great Barrier Reef has a virtual tour narrated by David Attenborough. That experience takes travelers underwater to see the colorful expanse of the reef that covers most of Australia’s eastern coast. When finished outside travelers can take a tour at many Museums such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and The Louvre which offer guided VR tours of their interiors, all of which can be experienced with nothing but a smartphone and accompanying headset such as the Samsung Gear VR or Google Cardboard.
As this time of isolation brings VR Travel to the mainstream, companies will likely expand existing projects with the medium. Travel agencies and hotels can offer sample “try before you buy” experiences of locations and amenities they have to offer. New Jersey-based company Travel World VR leads the way in this service. They offer immersive looks into everything from destinations to hotel rooms that allow people to find the perfect travel package without ever leaving their homes. Before they can experience their dream vacation, however, many will have a long flight ahead of them. Skylights offers a service to airline companies that gives passengers an escape from the confines of the plane for the duration of their flight. In addition to the signature 180 degree VR experiences, they also offer a significant upgrade from the standard seatback screen to a theater mode TV. This service offers an immersive theater experience to passengers while they are soaring through the sky, an amenity that will surely become more popular as VR headsets become more common in modern life.
Shelter in place and social distancing orders, while necessary, are none the less draining and confining. VR Travel offers a unique and immersive escape in these uncertain times that can take you anywhere in the world, all from the comfort and safety of your home. This crisis highlights all the benefits that VR Travel has to offer and is that it is an industry that will continue to thrive after the world becomes active again.
