Virtual reality (and augmented reality) is seen as one of the most amazing technologies of the 21st century. While a lot of VR is used for fun, businesses can also use it to make computer-made images that excite people’s senses. The hospitality industry, which includes hotels and travel, is no exception. Showing off tourist spots and attractions with interactive visuals, creating immersive VR experiences for clients—this isn’t something for the future; it’s happening right now. So, how can virtual reality make your hospitality business even better? Read on to find out more.
Why Virtual Reality Matters in the Hospitality Industry:
Hotels and other hospitality businesses are starting to see the value of virtual reality (VR) as a powerful marketing tool. Especially now, after the pandemic when some places still have lots of restrictions, VR provides a way for customers to experience things without being physically there. Instead of just reading about it, customers can take virtual tours of hotel rooms or local attractions, engaging multiple senses for a unique experience.
Even after booking a room, customers can still use virtual reality to get more information, adding to their overall experience. Virtual reality tricks the senses into feeling like you’re in a different world, and people today are excited about the possibilities it brings to their travel experiences.
For hotels, VR lets them enhance what they are selling and even create entirely new experiences to keep customers more loyal than ever. Some companies specialize in virtual staging for real estate and they assist hotels in creating top-notch VR experiences. This not only helps them stand out in the market but also attracts the best customers for their business.
There’s also a change in the kind of people using hotels now. Millennials, who grew up with digital technology, are the main customers. As virtual reality keeps getting better and more common, it’s becoming a must-have for the hospitality industry, impressing both older and younger customers.
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Examples of How to Use Virtual Reality in the Hospitality Sector
1. Virtual Travel Experiences
In the hospitality world, virtual reality has found an exceptional use – providing virtual travel experiences with 360-degree videos. It’s like being on a trip without leaving your place! You can virtually go through everything from the flight to reaching your destination and exploring the key sights.
You might have spotted those 360-degree photos on your Facebook. Virtual Reality takes it a step further, making it feel like you’re actually there and letting you check out everything in that area.
2. Virtual Hotel/Restaurant Walks
Virtual reality is also being used in hotels to give you virtual tours. These tours can be on hotel websites, letting guests or soon-to-be guests see their room or other parts of the hotel before they decide to book or visit.
Even if you don’t have a VR headset, you can still check out these tours on social media or specially programmed websites. They use their 360 video tech to let you have a look around without needing special gear.
3. Virtual Booking Processes
Now, let’s talk about something cool – using VR technology for booking stuff. Companies like Amadeus are doing it. With a VR headset, you can check out flights, compare hotel prices, and book rooms – all in a virtual world!
The full potential of this hasn’t been figured out yet, but the possibilities for taking this to the next level are endless.
4. Virtual Staff Training for Hotels
VR is changing how hotels train their staff in a big way. They use VR headsets for employee training, helping new staff or improving skills in areas like customer service, conflict management, safety, and emergency response.
VR training is great for practicing soft skills, like listening and dealing with problems. It’s like a safe practice space where staff can learn and get better. Hilton, for example, uses Oculus for training in empathy and soft skills. They found that after VR empathy training, 87% of staff changed how they behave.
Best Western Hotels also tried VR scenario training for front-desk employees. The result? A big 71% less customer complaints and a 20% boost in customer happiness.
5. Virtual Hotels in the Metaverse
In December 2022, Marriott did something groundbreaking. They opened a virtual version of their Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel and Conference Center inside the Metaverse. The real Madrid hotel is huge, with almost 900 rooms and a big auditorium that fits 2,000 people. By recreating this space online, Marriott aimed to make a digital place for virtual meetings.
Because more people are doing digital meetups and working from home, hotels see a chance to provide digital event spaces and show off their creativity by joining the Metaverse.
Marriott’s Madrid hotel is the first hotel to step into the virtual Metaverse, but it won’t be the last. The folks at RendeVerse, who made Marriott’s Metaverse hotel, think that by the end of 2024, around 1000 or even more hotels will use their platform to create their own virtual Metaverse versions.
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Closing Thoughts
Virtual Reality isn’t just a buzzword; it’s rewriting the rules for hospitality. From virtual travel experiences to Metaverse hotels, it’s reshaping how we experience and interact with the hospitality industry. The journey has just begun, and as we step into this virtual realm, one thing is clear – the magic of VR is here to stay, making our hospitality experiences more exciting than ever.
