Note from the Editor: We’re seeing a lot of virtual reality all over the industry map this month. A major incentive show has a new Tech/VR pavilion. Another airline jumps in to improve the customer experience. Augmented reality lets the Travelocity gnome run free in your vacation pics. And I personally can’t wait to go to Vegas to get the VR massage! Check it all out
What’s Your Museum Avatar? Europe Launches First EU-China Virtual Reality Cultural Tourism Fair Jingtravel.com
Virtual reality (VR) is now being put to use in myriad ways to help promote travel, and one novel approach that the European Travel Commission has adopted is a VR B2B travel conference—the first-ever EU-China Virtual Travel Fair on Cultural Tourism. The event will officially run from November 27 to 28, although the conference “space” will be virtual and indefinitely browse-able online. READ MORE
Travelocity launches first augmented reality experience within its mobile app Prnewswire.com
Online travel agency Travelocity® is launching its first augmented reality (AR) experience allowing users to snap travel photos and videos with the brand's popular spokesperson, The Roaming Gnome. The travel icon appears on-demand in 3D anywhere around the globe thanks to a new AR camera feature available in the Travelocity mobile app. READ MORE
KLM uses augmented reality to make the wait gate fun Apex.aero
KLM’s augmented reality Facebook feature allows travelers to start their vacations before they board the aircraft. KLM has introduced an augmented reality (AR) experience called Tune Into Your Travel, which promises to add a dash of whimsy and fun to the experience of waiting at the airport. READ MORE
You Can Now Get a Virtual Reality Spa Treatment in Las Vegas Travelandleisure.com
“Observe carefully what may be happening right now in your brain,” the voice says, just as the dazzling cosmos I’ve been floating in dissolves into the skull’s interior. Neurons pulse. Synapses crackle. And my actual brain wraps itself around its beautifully abstracted and digitized representation inside a virtual reality headset.
The VR is part of an opulent spa treatment just unveiled at Qua Baths & Spa inside Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. READ MORE
5 travel startups around the world to watch in 2019 techinasia.com
The global travel industry is flying high. In 2015, there were 1.2 billion international travelers, and this number is expected to increase to 1.8 billion by 2030.The travel market is not only massive, but also rife with opportunities for innovation and disruption. As such, it’s no wonder that investors have been pumping money into travel-related startups. A 2017 study by Phocuswright showed that US$29 billion of funding was raised for travel startups from 2016 to 2017, while only US$33 billion was raised in the decade between 2005 and 2015. READ MORE
IBTM World 2018 set to inspire Ttnworldwide.com
IBTM World, the leading global event for the Mice and business travel industry, has revealed several enhancements for its 2018 event, all aimed at continuing the event’s reputation for inspiring delegates by giving them the tools they need to create show stopping events. A new immersive Exploratory Zone will offer a lively and interactive experience for attendees as exhibitors display the latest technologies and event solutions including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, facial recognition and 3D printing. READ MORE
Watch out Silicon Valley!
Is Helsinki Turning into the Virtual Reality Capital of the World?
Authority.com READ MORE
