Virtual reality tourism ready for takeoff as travellers remain grounded | Virtual reality | The Guardian - 2 views
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Experts say pandemic could provide watershed moment for technology, potentially leading to more sustainable tourism
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With globe-trotting banned in the pandemic, increasing numbers of people are turning to virtual reality to relieve pent-up demand for travel.
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As historic sites are damaged through mass tourism, recreating them in VR could help conserve them.
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As an example of VR use for sustainable tourism, on October 16, the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Florida debuted the first of its kind, full-motion, 360-degree, interactive VR experience of the Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition. In order to preserve this historic site, less than one million visitors are allowed in each year. On-site use of VR tech for a synchronous guest experience is also being explored and has the potential to be disruptive to use of tour guides. Plus, VR technology provides such rich immersive travel experiences that traditional marketing tools like pictures or standard print ads cannot match.