Virtual Reality: Help or Hinder Tourism?

Gina's November presentation to the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand delves into the Big Question - will virtual reality help or hinder tourism business?

Virtual reality is the biggest game-changer in our lives since the launch of the iPhone.

The seemingly simple ability to see an image or video in 360 degrees is about to revolutionise the way we live.

Imagine being able to virtually travel anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. Fly over the Grand Canyon looking up, down and all around you as if you were really there, or “dive” underwater at the Great Barrier Reef and watch as a turtle swims past you.

Jaunt, a VR technology and content company, claims “You will feel transported directly into the middle of the action. Look anywhere. See everything.”

So how will this new technology effect the tourism industry? Could it be the most powerful and immersive marketing tool or could it replace travel altogether? Will people want to spend the money, wrangle the security drama at the airport and figure out the currency conversions when they could just enjoy a VR visit instead?

"Writing about the mind shock of live action VR is quite like trying to share a photograph of your favourite song. Words simply cannot do it justice." Aaron Frank of the Singularity University.