A birds eye view

THE Vienna Tourist Board sent eagles up into the skies to capture footage of the city from above. Now online, travel fans can watch it using VR goggles and experience the capital in 360° just as the eagles caught it on camera. In the first half of 2018 Vienna established a new record of 7,223,000 visitor bednights.

Fritzi, Bruno, Darshan and Victor took to the skies on behalf of the Vienna Tourist Board, taking off from the top of the Danube Tower and a hot air balloon launched from the grounds of Palais Schwarzenberg. They were kitted out with 360° cameras and 16:9 format cameras on their backs. The eagles circled above the city capturing bird's-eye views in stunning 4k resolution supported by the production company Red Bull Media House, who were brought on board to give the Vienna Tourist Board campaign wings.



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Single biggest opportunity for the Travel & Tourism sector

IMPLEMENTATION of biometric technology to facilitate secure borders is the single biggest opportunity for the Travel & Tourism sector in 2018, according to Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). 

Ms. Guevara also highlighted the importance of developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, virtual and augmented reality and changing demographics, particularly the ‘coming of age’ of millennials and growth of Generation Z, for Travel & Tourism. 

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Travel back to The Alamo

THE Alamo’s iconic battleground and stories are being brought to life through an upcoming augmented and virtual reality experience It’s a groundbreaking union of technology and historical accuracy launching at one of the nation’s most significant landmarks.

One of the world’s most famous battle sites, the Alamo, is being recreated through an unparalleled union of historical scholarship and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). Alamo Reality’s Experience Real History: Alamo Edition, is set to debut March 1, 2018 during San Antonio’s 300th birthday celebration and the 182nd anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo. Currently, the #Alamo is the most-visited site in #Texas. This interactive photoreal journey back in time will greatly enhance the overall visitor experience, and is expected to increase the time and quality of visitation. 

The Alamo Reality app will be free and available to download on both iOS and Android devices. 


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Virtual Reality Allows Viewers to Speed Down Sedona Slickrock, Skydive Over Grand Canyon

THE latest tool the #Arizona Office of Tourism is using to elevate awareness of Arizona’s tourism assets is virtual reality. AOT created a pair of VR experiences that are filled with drama and awe, with a touch of narrative storytelling.

The films are set in the Grand Canyon and Sedona, and those locales don’t just serve as a backdrop for the action—they are characters in the story. In the Grand Canyon film, users who put on the VR headset jump out of a plane and into the airspace above one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. The Arizona Office of Tourism is the first entity to create a VR skydiving experience over the Grand Canyon.

In the other film, VR users climb atop a virtual mountain bike and hurtle down singletrack and slickrock in Sedona. In all directions, Sedona’s distinctive geology and a big, blue sky whiz past.

The films debuted in January 2017 in Chicago, at the Cubs Convention and Travel & Adventure Show. This spring, the Arizona VR show will travel to several Cactus League stadiums.

Visitors to Visit Arizona's Facebook page can experience 360-video versions of the films on their mobile devices.

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Virtual Scotland

SCOTLANDVR is a ground-breaking virtual travel experience that allows people, wherever they are in the world, to be immersed in Scotland’s remarkable attractions.

Launched February 28, it is hoped the ScotlandVR app, which is available for all Android and Apple users to download for free on Google Play and Apple Store, will incite emotion during those ‘I want to get away’ moments in life and inspire more people to discover #Scotland for real.

Featuring state-of-the art 360˚ imagery and footage, users start their journey in a virtual glen complete with moo-ing Highland Cow, crackling fire and bellowing stag. From there, they can jump into a map of Scotland and experience 26 unique attractions covering every region of the country.

The whole environment can be experienced in Stereoscopic 3D when used with a Google Cardboard virtual reality headset, in 360˚ view using gyroscope phone technology or by touchscreen also in phone mode.

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Picture Credit: J McSporran 127130111@N06/32018396472 via photopin

Qantas launches new virtual reality app

QANTAS has launched a new virtual reality app – Qantas VR giving customers an interactive new way to discover and explore destinations before physically travelling there.

Available for iPhone, Android, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive devices, the app showcases Australia’s distinctive landscape through a series of immersive videos, including never before seen aerial footage of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

The app offers two modes: split screen for those who have a compatible headset or Google Cardboard and 2D landscape for viewing directly on a smartphone. Users can also book Qantas flights to the featured destinations directly from the app.

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Picture Credit: SilentJay76 flickr.com/photos/27705360@N02/22821231278 Qantas Boeing 747 + 737 via photopin.com

Virtual Reality Concierge

THE redesign of former Draft FCB corporate office building into a smart, luxury hotel Conrad Chicago, the 20-story luxury hotel located steps from Magnificent Mile, today welcomes guests to a stylish and contemporary escape in the Windy City.

Conrad #Chicago will be the first hotel to offer a complimentary high-tech Conrad 1/3/5 experience with its Virtual Reality Enhanced Concierge. The Conrad Chicago concierge allows the smart luxury traveler to sample Conrad Chicago's specially curated 1/3/5 experiences. The VR Concierge features 360 video and Oculus headsets allowing guests to virtually try unique Chicago experiences such as looking at the city from 1,000 feet above ground from The John Hancock building. Capturing the sights and sounds of the selected activities as if guests were there themselves is just one of the many tech-forward innovations built into the Conrad Chicago experience.

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Picture Credit: By Ivylaw - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49952518

Kraken Rollercoaster Ride

#SEAWORLD Orlando will debut its first digitally enhanced ride experience as the legendary #Kraken roller coaster is transformed into a virtual reality (VR) roller coaster experience. Using new technology, this thrill ride will be the only VR coaster experience in #Florida.

Guests will embark on a deep sea mission alongside sea creatures inspired by extinct and legendary animals of the past, including the mighty Kraken. A custom digital overlay with uniquely designed headsets, fully integrated both mechanically and electronically into the coaster train delivers a new one-of-a-kind adventure. 

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Picture Credit: LOLren flickr.com/photos/12492388@N06/5136046578 Kraken, Sea World Orlando via photopin.com

Manchester for Virtual Reality

IMAX announced an agreement with leading European exhibitor, ODEON & UCI Cinemas Group, to install the first pilot IMAX VR™ centre in Europe at its Printworks multiplex location in Manchester, England. The centre, which the parties are planning to open by the end of 2016, will deliver guests immersive, multi-dimensional VR experiences, including entertainment content and games.

“We’re always looking for new ways to give our guests an even more immersive experience, so are very excited to be hosting Europe’s first IMAX VR centre at ODEON Printworks” said Paul Donovan, CEO of ODEON & UCI Cinemas Group. “We have a longstanding close relationship with IMAX which creates unforgettable experiences in many of our cinemas across Europe, so we are delighted to be alongside them again, at the cutting edge of innovation, to introduce and pilot awesome new technology which will delight our guests.”

IMAX is in the process of launching its first showroom and pilot IMAX VR centre in Los Angeles and is targeting to open additional test facilities in China, Japan, the U.S., the Middle East and Western Europe in the coming months.

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Picture Credit: CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3493388

Alton Towers unveils world’s first VR rollercoaster

#ALTON TOWERS in Staffordshire claims its virtual-reality #rollercoaster ride #Galactica will be a ‘game-changer’. The ride will open in April in what the Merlin Entertainments venue describes as ‘a ground-breaking move set to revolutionize the world of theme parks’, and a ‘sensational world first’.

Visitors will ride in a prone position along a 918-yard long track to recreate the feeling of flying through outer space, while wearing a virtual reality headset.

Gill Riley, marketing director at Alton Towers, said: ‘Galactica uses ground-breaking technology to give riders a breathtaking and unique rollercoaster experience. Tim Peake captured the imagination of millions of Brits last year when he set off on his mission to the International Space Station – and now our visitors can become astronauts too. For two minutes, our guests will be transported into space. We believe Galactica showcases the future for theme parks around the world.’

The theme park will also open what is claimed to be the first rollercoaster restaurant in the UK.

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London’s history brought to life … virtually

TIMELOOPER has introduced three 360-degree virtual reality time travel videos that enable visitors to #London to use their smartphones and virtual reality headsets to leap back in time. 

Users can experience medieval times near the Tower of London, The Great Fire of London next to St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the WW2 Blitz from Trafalgar Square.

The videos are location-based, so visitors must be at the locations to unlock the virtual reality experiences. Once a visitor unlocks content, he or she can share the videos with friends and family members from anywhere.

The company’s CEO, Yigit Yigiter, says: ‘#Timelooper began as my childhood dream to bring history to life in a more vivid way. Today, emerging digital technologies such as virtual reality and 360-degree videos make it possible to capture and communicate history and current events, and to envision our future world, in more immersive and exciting ways.’

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