Ever dreamed of exploring your dream destinations from the comfort of your couch? To instantly jump from the Pyramids of Giza to the Colosseum in Rome or the busy streets of The Great Bazaar in Istanbul?
It may sound like fiction, but the technology is here. Virtual Reality (VR) headsets offer the user a fully immersive experience in a digital world or environment. But could you be able to use a VR headset for a vacation?
I have used a VR headset a few times to play some PC games, but I never owned one. During one of the course’s lectures, where we discussed emerging technologies, like AR/VR or NFTs, I wondered if I could use this technology to see the world without stepping outside of my (student) room. Well, it turns out you already can.
After a little digging on this topic, I found out that Google has launched Google Earth VR as a game on Steam [2], and I was astounded! Only with this app, you can travel to any place in the world and see it from satellite or via Google’s Street View! What is even cooler, is that many of the famous landmarks have been laser-scanned and are available on this app with high resolution 3D detailing.
Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, as seen on Google Earth VR [3]
Google also invested in their “Arts & Culture” project, which partners with 2000 museums to offer digital (and also VR) tours. Here is a 360-degrees/VR video about the The Fall of the Rebel Angels (1562) painting, from the Royal museum of Fine Arts in Belgium, done in collaboration with Google:
What is even better is that Google offers these services for free. So, you can have endless experiences without even paying anything for them.
One of the biggest players on this market is Meta, which even developed their own VR Headset. They are also known for heavily investing into the “MetaVerse”, their vision of Web 3.0.
I have stumbled upon an article on Meta’s blog about “Virtual Vacations” [4]. Their most popular app called “Wander” costs 10 euros and allows the user to travel anywhere in the world or explore how a place used to look like in the past. What is even better, is that you can explore the world in multiplayer, along with your friends. I left videos below of the other 2 apps they were presenting in this blog, they are worth checking out!
Even though this all sounds great, these solutions are not perfect. Many times, the image quality is not the best (assumingly due to performance/storage constraints of the VR headset), which is a factor which reduces the immersion into the digital world. Another factor is the fact that no sound is played that matches the landmark you are seeing, which also weakens the experience. Moreover, a VR headset, if you do not yet own one, does not come cheap. Meta’s most recent one, called Quest 3, starts at 550 euros, while their most expensive one, the Quest Pro is 1200 euros [5].
But I feel optimistic for the future. I see these technologies emerging into strong digital disruptors for the travel industry, in a future where a VR headset is a must in every household, like a TV or a couch. I also think prices will increase for these experiences too. From free / one-time payment, to pay-per-experience or even subscription models, as more users adapt to this new, emerging technology that is Virtual Reality.
All in all, after researching this topic, as a travel enthusiast, I think I may have to buy myself a VR headset soon and start exploring the world digitally :). I would definitely use this to plan my future vacations!
What do you think of digitally traveling in VR? Do you think it has the potential of competing with traditional tourism in the not-so-distant future? Let me know below!
References:
- Thumbnail Photo: generated with a community-made GPT that uses DALL-E https://chatgpt.com/g/g-pmuQfob8d-image-generator). Prompt: generate an image about a person using VR headset for traveling digitally.
- Google’s Earth VR game page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/348250/Google_Earth_VR/
- https://www.vrnerds.de/google-earth-vr-fuer-oculus-rift-erschienen/
- https://www.meta.com/blog/quest/virtual-vacation-11-vr-apps-and-films-that-let-you-travel-the-world-from-home/
- https://www.meta.com/nl/en/quest/compare/
Hi Codrin,
Thanks for writing this interesting blog. I think it nicely highlights the potential of emerging technologies, even in industries where you might not expect it at first glance. I am a bit flabbergasted by the possibilities in this area that already exist as of today!
I think the virtual sightseeing might not per se compete with traditional tourism, but rather complement the traditional industry. For instance, if I virtually saw the Taj Mahal, I might be stimulated to travel there and also see it in real life to fully get the experience. Mainly because, at the moment, I wouldn’t trade virtual experiences with real-life ones as I still think the opportunity to see these incredible views feel more rewarding in the real world compared to the virtual world.
Perhaps my opinion will change once I tried an immersive VR experience, but until then I can’t see myself substituting the real experiences. Nonetheless, a very interesting topic which allowed me to philosophize about tourism and its potentials!
Hi Codrin,
This really is an amazing tool. I could imagine it would make a difference in teaching. Allowing children to see how diverse the world is, can be life-changing.
There are several problems I see with that solution. Firstly, the most famous sights are not the only thing you want see on a trip. For many, just being in a different place is the whole point of the experience. Secondly, it is impossible to meet new people and feel the culture first-hand. My main issue is, seeing sights is not the only part of traveling. There are so many things you would miss out on with only VR. For me, a crucial part of traveling is trying new cuisins made the traditional way. This is something you cannot replace.
But overall, this technology is a big opportunity for many and it should be further developed. Thank you for your insight!