Augmented reality and virtual reality make it possible to enjoy the adventures of travel from our couch while we're still under pandemic restrictions. VR and AR technology is also reshaping the travel industry, so things could look quite different when we get back on the road.

1. The Amazing Ways
VR And AR Are Transforming
The Travel Industry

2. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
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Introduction
Introduction
Augmented reality and virtual reality make it possible to enjoy the adventures
of travel from our couch while we're still under pandemic restrictions. VR and
AR technology is also reshaping the travel industry, so things could look quite
different when we get back on the road.
The Amazing Ways VR And AR Are
Transforming The Travel Industry

3. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Many of us are desperate to travel freely again – but with the help of AR and VR
technology, we can explore the world from the comfort of our couches while
we’re stuck at home.
Companies are working hard to transform travel experiences, so we can expect
things to look quite different when we are able to get back on the road.

4. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Self-Guided Tours And More With AR
The possibilities for augmented reality in the travel industry are vast. AR alters
travelers’ perceptions of their physical surroundings and provides supplemental
tourism experiences and opportunities for interaction.
For example, AR mobile apps like City Guide Tour use object recognition to offer
on-screen information about places of interest, museums, galleries, landmarks,
parks, and other sights as a tourist strolls through a city or town. The mobile app
Street Life offers a library of crowdsourced guided tours that you can watch
from home, or use to navigate through your in-person travel adventures while
uploading your own photos and images.

5. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Self-Guided Tours And More With AR
AR-powered glasses provide a more immersive experience that adds an element
of fun and eliminates the need for a tour guide. Our high-powered, fast
smartphones with AR capabilities open up a whole world of interesting
possibilities.
There is a huge range of potential use cases for AR in the travel industry,
including improving local transit, augmented reality gamification, and AR for
museums. Check out this useful blog post for a deep dive into some of the
possibilities.

6. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Explore From Your Couch With Virtual Reality
Right now, traveling to far-flung places to experience the full functionality of
these kinds of AR apps probably isn’t possible for most of us – but in the
meantime, we can still feed our wanderlust with virtual reality travel experiences.
Companies like First Airlines are offering immersive virtual reality travel “trips” to
places like Hawaii, Rome, and Paris. Their VR experiences include first-class
airline tickets with four-course meals, followed by VR tours of the destination’s
main sights. You can also explore virtual travel experiences through Google
Earth VR, Oculus, and Immerse from The Hydrous.

7. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Explore From Your Couch With Virtual Reality
Other potential uses for VR in the travel industry include:
● Trial runs of attractions, hotels, and places of interest. Travelers can
check out accommodations and locations before they book their trips, to see
if destinations are worth the investment.
● In-flight entertainment. Immersive 360-degree VR experiences on long-
haul flights may be on the horizon, expanding travelers’ entertainment
options beyond watching movies or surfing the web with the plane’s Wi-Fi.
Virtual reality could even help some passengers ease their fear of flying.
● Travel agents and booking services. Travel World VR uses VR technology
to help travel agents promote destinations using 360-degree videos of major
destinations, cruises, resorts, and tours.

8. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Explore From Your Couch With Virtual Reality
National Geographic points out the limitations of immersive virtual travel tours,
saying:
“The headsets are expensive, heavy, can cause nausea, and aren’t comfortable to
wear for more than 30 minutes...Limited sensations are another hurdle. The videos
focus on sounds and sights but can’t do much with smell, touch, or taste, and VR
experiences tend to only be a few minutes long—hardly the equivalent of a two-
week vacation in Spain.”
Few people believe that VR will ever fully replace travel, but it’s likely virtual
reality tech will contribute to the recovery of the travel industry post-pandemic.

9. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Making Travel A Reality Again
In these strange times, immersive virtual travel provides a welcome escape from the
loneliness and boredom of the pandemic – so put on a headset and get ready to “travel”
to anywhere in the world, right from your living room.
Once restrictions have been lifted, travel lovers who have been stuck at home will also get
to experience the wonders of augmented reality travel tools, so they can get on-the-spot
information during the next adventures.
VR and AR tech will also help the travel and tourism industry recover by whetting tourists’
appetites for new locations, helping travel agents book flights and hotels, and making
travel more pleasant.
If you're longing for adventure, gear up to explore the world with a boost from virtual and
augmented reality technology. For more on the topic, check out my new book ‘Extended
Reality In Practice: 100+ Amazing Ways Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality Are
Changing Business and Society

10. Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2020 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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