Trips at Your Fingertips: Great Virtual Travel Technology Makes Virtual Vacations Here to Stay
Magnet Media, Inc.
We use data + storytelling to tell stories that matter on behalf of brands.
With airline ticket prices?shooting up by 25%?and record-breaking gas prices rising by?over 50%?in the last year, many are choosing to forgo travel plans this summer. Add to that canceled flights, paltry vacation days, and a global pandemic, even the thought of taking a trip can be stress-inducing. While the inconvenience of jetting around the globe may have lost its luster, the lure of watching monkeys play in tall trees, exploring new cities, or winding through galleries at the Louvre remains deeply human. Luckily brands like Amazon and GoPro are combining technology and travel to make your next destination just a click away.
Creating your own online oasis is easy with the help of cutting-edge technologies like 360-degree cameras, VR headsets, and advanced UX platforms. Many experiences are economically accessible, too. AirPano’s free videos allow you to get a bird’s eye view of Dubai and the Victoria Falls of Zimbabwe anytime, anywhere. Customize your own remote tour with a personal tour guide at Amazon Explore. No need for that expensive VR set, Google Cardboard makes virtual reality accessible with its cutout templates.?
Whether you’re still worrying about the seemingly unabating pandemic or just want to plan your next big outing from your couch, here are the latest tools to sate your wanderlust without leaving home.
01.?Amazon Explore
Amazon’s Explore?connects users with live local experts, who serve as tour guides, teachers, and even personal shoppers. This customizable, one-way video and two-way audio experience gives users the opportunity to immerse themselves in different cultures and tailor the tour to their interests. The service, which launched in September 2020, offers the option for private, in-session shopping access so remote tourists can receive IRL mementos of their travel. Take a “walking” tour of Rome, get up close and personal with monkeys in Costa Rica, or rickshaw through the streets of Tokyo. With over 250 virtual tours in five continents, there’s no shortage of learning opportunities.
02.?AirPano
AirPano’s?collection of free 360-degree videos and photos give you the chance to travel to every continent. Featuring breathtaking views of live volcanoes and the polar lights–even an unforgettable, heart-pounding Zimbabwean rafting experience–this virtual reality project lets users explore the world from every angle. Not to be missed, the site’s Antarctica series has garnered over four million views! New virtual tours are posted weekly, so check back often to see if your dream destination made the list. Chances are it’s there already.
GoPro’s spherical technology allows videographers to capture images from every angle. Viewers can then access these 360-degree videos for free on GoPro’s VR?YouTube playlist. The account has released dozens of videos so armchair travelers can unlock their inner daredevil. With simply a device and internet access, some of the world’s wildest adventures await. Cuddle with hyenas and dive with sperm whales this summer–your friends and family will marvel at your unique travel stories. Want to capture quality videos of your own lived experiences? Purchase your own GoPro Max on their website?here.
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04.?Google Cardboard
Want to try a virtual reality set but don’t love the sticker price? Don’t fret because Google has a crafty solution.?Google Cardboard?allows users to experience the thrill of virtual reality in a simple and affordable way. Whether you choose to build your own from extra boxes or purchase a kit for as little as $8.95, Google Cardboard makes your next virtual trip extremely budget friendly. Use this technology in conjunction with the Google Cardboard app, YouTube travel channels, or some other platforms mentioned in this article to dive into your next adventure.
The?YouTube channel?with over 100,000 subscribers showcases must-see attractions as well as beautiful, undiscovered locations. Wanderlust’s 4K Ultra HD walking tours give you the chance to peer inside the Louvre, experience the beauty of the Vietnamese Marble Mountains, walk through the Dubai airport, and much more. Plan a full virtual vacation from takeoff to touchdown with this series. New videos are posted weekly, so there’s no shortage of content.
06.?Oculus?Quest
Meta’s Oculus virtual reality technology prides itself on allowing users to travel thousands of miles with just a single click. Oculus Quest features a variety of films and apps that let you immerse yourself in global stories and adventures. BRINK Traveler, with its state-of-the-art photogrammetry, is the perfect virtual guide for nature lovers. Oculus even hosts the film When We Stayed Home that shows the world’s most popular cities during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns. This unusual peek at the empty streets of typical tourist sites like Jerusalem, Paris, Venice, and Tokyo is only one of many unusual vantages provided by Oculus TV. All experiences are available for purchase on Quest platforms.
Is your favorite kind of trip just getting in the car and driving? Then photographer?Rod Edward’s Redneck Roadtrip?might be just the kind of dusty backroads journey you’ve been missing. In collaboration with industry-leading, 360 virtual reality manufacturers, Edwards creates stunning tours of lesser known locales that are publicly available on his portfolio. Redneck Road Trip zags through the backroads of Southern California. Drop into stately British manors like the Montacue House. Go to museums like the Tate. Edwards services are available to hire, and his camera captures all the spontaneity and excitement of taking a trip yourself. Explore his portfolio or contact Edwards and his team for a personalized 360 experience “without the big agency prices.”
When the pandemic hit, travel company Airbnb quickly pivoted its in-person local experiences to serve remote audiences. Previously, travelers could hire professionals to lead them on regionally flavored activities like painting in Santa Fe, cooking in Tuscany, or beekeeping in Portugal. Now, digital adventurers can enjoy these often quaint and quirky pursuits from the comfort of their own abodes. Perfect for team building or family nights, Airbnb Virtual Experiences let you learn about a geographic region from a local expert, while doing something extraordinary. It also helps support small businesses hit by travel and operating restrictions.
Magnet Media is a global brand studio that uses storytelling and data to drive measurable business results. Our team is made up of strategists and creative thinkers who use our THINK / MAKE / REACH process to develop a marketing strategy, world-class content, and go-to-market distribution strategies for our clients. Much of our work starts with video storytelling and is distributed across all platforms—appearing in the top media outlets, shared by influential community members, and rising to the top of the search rankings. Recently we've produced award-winning campaigns for clients like Google, Adobe, Chase, Goldman Sachs, Airbnb, IBM, CitiGroup, Carbon, The TED Talks, Politico, Blackrock, TIAA, YouTube, MIT Tech Press, and more.