Due to the global pandemic, tourism all over the world is one of the most affected industries. Pandemic has stopped the traveling of people across the globe that directly impacts on hotels, motels, restaurants, travel agencies, airplane companies, etc., connected to global tourism.
According to Statista, the global revenue from the travel and tourism industry of 2019 was 685.065 billion USD. They also projected the global revenue of 2020 would reach up to 711.944 billion USD. Whereas the real-revenue of this current year is only 396.37 billion USD! Pandemic smashes the tourism sector so hard that the revenue has fallen to 42.1 percent from the previous year.
Situation Right Now
Coronavirus outbreak pressures tourism while it needs breathing spaces to increase the yearly gross. But as it seems till now, it does not show any positive by which it will meet its requirement just like as pre-pandemic conditions. So, how can the industry survive in the upcoming days while coping up with the existing damages? Let’s try to find the answer.
In this cruel reality, things have been more complicated and challenging. To develop all the sectors, creating any new initiative that is full of opportunities- are welcoming. Twenty-first skills, as well as advanced technologies like Artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, Internet of Things, etc., are paddling up the opportunities. Virtual reality is one of the fastest-growing technology that can be a savior in global tourism. Attaching this technology, airlines, travel agencies, etc., can attract tourists from all over the world.
Importance That VR Carries
Many experts believe in VR that it is going to change the traditional way of traveling. VR is a significant device that is computer-generated and creates an interactive third-dimensional environment. It is so simple to use that user needs just to have wearing gloves and other sensation or stimulation devices. Then these devices can be connected to several parts of the human body. The combination enables us to hear, smell, and other senses artificially. Also, VR can emulate the nature of the world and analyze much sense of users to produce more real sensors on the board. That’s why, when you activate the VR and start the simulation, you may feel on your brain, close to reality.
Furthermore, Youtube also has launched a new extension that is VR-powered. With the Youtube VR app, you can easily watch 360 videos and virtual reality content with specific headsets and devices.
Augmented reality is another extension of virtual reality that can give you a perfect image of a specific object or place. It can click 360-degree photography to present a taste of virtual tourism. For mitigating the risks and challenges and also reshaping this sector, the services from VR are tremendous and an alternative option in real traveling.
VR Startups
Across the globe, many startups have been rising with their upcoming VR projects. Realities.co is one of them, founded in 2016. This company brings VR that is fully explorable and interactive in photorealistic quality. By utilizing the captured methods, it is reconstructing for 3D engines.
Oculus is another vital VR research platform that is powered by Facebook. The Oculus team is building VR products, simulation games, hardware, etc. Also, it enables social experiences through VR. Oculus Research brings the state-of-the-art forwards with significant work in computer, advanced optics, eye tracking, augmented reality, and other updated ways for mapping out the human body.
Google, another giant in the world market, is not far behind here in building AR & VR. Google initiates Google Cardboard, where you can purchase VR-based products. They released this cardboard VR headset that cost almost 15 USD. Also, they launched Google AR & VR, where you can experience the new AR, VR features such as Blocks, Daydream, VR180, Poly, etc.
Apart from these, many startups are growing in this sector, such as HTC Vive, Samsung, Microsoft, Worldviz, etc., are the top on it.
Conclusion
As we can see, VR tourism you can harness in digital marketing cases most of the time. Besides, many companies have all of the advantages to put this through tourist experiences instead of physical tourism. As the world has witnessed how cruel the pandemic is to make this tourism sector vulnerable, we have options like VR & AR. The potential of these pushes us to believe that the applications regarding travel, retail, automation, etc., are acceptable in every country.
