Note From The Editor: Every month we look for informative stories and helpful information for the travel industry including the latest in virtual and augmented reality and how it applies to the way travel is researched, bought, sold and experienced. Sometimes a story may be of particular interest to an attraction or destination, other times it is a tour company, airport or hotel. This time it’s the KODAK PIXPRO ORBIT360 4K VR camera! This is an amazing VR tool that will not break the bank and can be utilized by anyone in the travel trade to enhance their marketing presence and reach.
This little gem is a state-of-the-art compact, all in one VR camera that captures 360° photos and videos, stitches within the camera and using the FREE PIXPRO Mobile APP (for iOS and ANDROID) and can post to FACEBOOK or YOUTUBE on the fly. Think of the possibilities – a tour operator outfitting their guides to capture special moments along a group tour, a destination using it to pepper their social media feeds with interactive 360° video and photos, or an attraction renting them to guests so they can record and instantly share their adventures and excursions on social media in 360°. We’re happy to be partnering with KDOAK PIXPRO and getting the word out. Learn more about this exciting VR camera @ kodakpixpro.com!
8 top travel predictions from Booking.com (Guess what’s #1?) finder.com/au
9,000 travellers, 26 countries, 8 predictions. Each day Booking.com books more than 1.5 million nights of accommodation, so the site definitely have its finger on the pulse of world travel. Now Booking.com has combined that with a survey of over 9,000 travellers across 26 countries, to predict 8 travel trends that will take off in 2018. #1: Virtual Reality Travel. READ MORE
Blippar tests AR app to help users navigate cities Mobilemarketeer.com
Blippar, an augmented reality (AR) technology company based in London, launched a beta test of its new mobile application that lets smartphone users walk through a city and get more information about their surroundings. The AR City app uses GPS and visual inertial odometry (VIO) data to provide more accurate navigation to mobile users. READ MORE
This App Uses Augmented Reality to show you your seat before you step on the plane Travelandleisure.com
Imagine being able to see the seat you're getting on your next flight before even stepping on the plane. During the innovation session of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) World Passenger Summit in Barcelona this week, the kjan augmented reality, artificial intelligence-powered, voice-search engine, designed exclusively for air travel. It would first allow you to search for the best routes according to your price and scheduling needs, then - with the AR projection of a life-sized cabin visible on the smartphone or tablet of your choice - enter the airplane cabin to check out your seat options. READ MORE
London’s first city-wide augmented reality Treasure Hunt Insidethemagic.net
Golden Tours Sightseeing and experience designers at Holovis have joined forces for London’s first city-wide augmented reality treasure hunt. Using the Hop-On Hop-Off Treasure Hunt app, tour guests can add a new gaming experience to the traditional open bus tour of London. The app invites users to hunt for the missing Crown Jewels by answering trivia and unlocking interesting facts about the city and its landmarks. READ MORE
Soup, main course, dessert, and some augmented reality on the side Video.scroll.in
Sometimes the hardest part of going out for a meal is the endless wait for your food. But a design studio in Belgium, has invented an experience using projection mapping and augmented reality that might actually make the waiting more enjoyable than the food itself. The studio, whose passion is “to develop stories and present them in a new way, in order to surprise our audience”, using art and experimentation with technology, have found an unusual way of keeping diners entertained while their food is prepared. READ MORE
How VR theme parks are changing entertainment in Japan Cnn.com
The perilous wooden plank that dangles from the skyscraper's dizzying rooftop is all that stands between me and the deafening rescue helicopter in front. But my feet cannot move forward. Vertigo has condemned me. Of course, aliens haven't reached planet earth, yet. Rather, I'm at the Adores VR Park Tokyo, playing the "Dive Hard" virtual reality game -- and it's disarmingly convincing. The VR Park Tokyo opened last December as an experiment. Nearly 12 months later, it is attracting 9,000 visitors a month and turning people away. READ MORE
Travel to the future in China’s new virtual-reality theme park Lonelyplanet.com
A huge virtual-reality theme park is set to open in southern China. Billed as a ‘science fiction theme park’, East Science Valley will utilise virtual-reality technology to immerse visitors in science and fantasy experiences. These will include science-based experiences, such as a virtual tour of the solar system, to full on sci-fi rides like exploring an ‘alien base’, a sci-fi-themed roller coaster and journeying on a fictional space ship. READ MORE
WATCH: Visit the Spectacular Set of Murder on the Orient Express in VR People.com
The spectacular set of Murder on the Orient Express is coming to life. In a virtual reality experience, director Kenneth Branagh explains how he recreated the iconic 1920s luxury train, built a colossal train station and reimagined Agatha Christie’s world-famous murder mystery. Step inside the Orient Express’s sumptuous Art Deco sleeping, dining and bar cars, visit Stamboul Station and learn what it was like to travel in this 360 experience. READ MORE
Don’t take it from us: Here’s what the tech titans have to say lately:
Google says augmented reality will be on 'hundreds of millions' of Android devices next year Cnbc.com READ MORE
A Billion virtual Reality users? That’s what Mark Zuckerberg says. Dow Jones.com READ MORE
Apple’s Tim Cook says augmented reality will “change everything” Deadline.com READ MORE
And..... for those of our readers a little later to the party:
VR 101 – A Crash Course In All Things Virtual Reality Blog.vive.com READ MORE
