Imagine sitting on your couch at home in San Francisco and virtually ushering in your customers from Japan to their hotel room for their upcoming Valentine’s holiday. Does it sound like a line from a sci-fi novel? Brace yourself, this is what the Metaverse can do- it is opening new ways for investment, revenue stream, and aiding the faster recovery of the travel and leisure industry post-COVID-19. With an expected, $800 billion dollar market by 2024, next tech platform, the Metaverse, is not going away.
Well, can the Metaverse significantly revolutionize the tourism industry? If so, will it be for better or for worse?
3 ways the Metaverse will impact the travel and leisure industry
The truth is, if you are in the travel and leisure industry (as we are), your CVB or DMO, now more than ever, must perpetually evolve alongside the Metaverse. It would help if you came up with innovative ways to leverage virtual reality and the Metaverse, in the hospitality industry. Otherwise, you risk being left in the dust amid the rapid technological changes.
Got it, but how will the Metaverse be used in the tourism industry?
#Virtual sales and bookings
Booking vacations can be a very stressful period for your potential customers. Add to that, booking agents who respond to emails after 2 days, divert calls to voicemail or are simply unavailable to serve customers, and you will understand how frustrating the experience can get.
With the Metaverse, customers will get a “try before they buy” moment, which gives them a remote experience of what they will get in reality.
Currently, airlines and hotels are utilizing this technology to launch virtual tours in their cabins and resorts, take for example Marriott Bonvoy. The bottom line is to give the customer a ‘sneak peek’ of what they expect once they board an airplane, check-in at a hotel, or event planners to explore a city.
Ultimately, the Metaverse will be used by CVB’s and DMO’s to enhance their customers’ booking experience and planners’ initiatives to stay ahead of competitors.
#Boosting customer service
The Metaverse allows you to better your destination (CVB/DMO) reputation in an industry with a sea of other destinations. The technology offers numerous ways to interact with customers, employees, and companies. Think about the possibility of closing a deal from your home office, or better still, think about how the Metaverse can be used to help you understand your traveler’s behavior.
Moreover, your customer may want to use the Metaverse while vacationing. They may wish to visit the store to buy a product, book their return flight, or maybe converse with their children.
#Guide Real-Time tours
Whenever you receive guests in your facility or destination, they are eager to explore the surroundings and start enjoying their vacation. Imagine the frustration they feel if they can’t locate the landmark they need. Here, you can use the Metaverse- specifically, pop-up maps and real-time route finding.
The future is what we make it.
You already feel overwhelmed, right? No need. Did you know our immersive technology platform SKYNAV is already paving the way into the Metaverse? Many features of this platform have built-in tools that place the visitor inside your destination. Don’t believe us? Take a virtual trip to Branson, MO, or how about Daytona Beach, FL. Perhaps, you would like to go to a Napa Valley premier vineyard, here you go. Our platform will be making many Metaverse upgrades over the next several months, so stay tuned.
Obviously, the Metaverse is not about replacing physical travel, but the potential is unimaginable. Now is the time to utilize immersive technology to help your destination make a deeper connection with history, culture, and, most definitely, the people and industry you serve. This is what SKYNAV is all about- helping your business deliver fun and immersive travel experiences in the most affordable and accessible manner. Schedule a demo today, we’ll be happy to show you this powerful pre-cursor to the Metaverse!
