Eva Guțu, XI A
VR (Virtual Reality) is a technology that allows users to experience and interact with virtual environments in a way that feels as real as possible, such experiences ranging from realistic to imaginary situations or locations. Now travelling is included in this particular area of contemporary technology. Reaching America’s highest peaks in its National Parks, visiting Machu Picchu or “walking” along the Great Wall of China are no longer prohibited by financial situations or lack of time, due to VR-enhanced experiences.
On the one hand, we could also talk about Artificial Intelligence and its use in travelling. Furthermore, there is a multitude of ways in which AI is incorporated in this specific context, aiding both travel agencies and customers. Therefore, while individuals benefit from AI booking assistants and enhanced customer service experiences, agencies and companies use AI machine learning solutions in order to achieve customer insights with greater ease. Moreover, Artificial Intelligence enables such enterprises to analyze real-time data, thus leading to efficacious automation which is also cost-efficient and profitable for travellers looking for the most propitious and satisfactory solutions.
There are a plethora of websites offering you “the best deals” for travellers while not leaving the comfort of your room. With or without expensive VR headsets, individuals have the possibility to attend virtual tours unlike ever before. From museums to university campuses or similar more complex ones allow individuals to access such institutes or edifices worldwide with one click for a relative “hands-on” experience. Therefore, one can also visit the entire Louvre collection while avoiding queuing and actually travelling to Paris. The most-visited museum gathered an even more considerable amount of visitors, however, in online viewing. Individuals thus having the opportunity to analyze the famous “Mona Lisa” up close from their computer screens.
Not even the sky is the limit, as NASA offers virtual tourism, which allows you to watch the moon in 4K and with higher quality than most advanced telescopes. Individuals can now experience such trips “in person” through the power of VR. The possibilities are endless ranging from 360 degrees views in outer space, augmented reality spacecraft tours or adding one’s picture into a spaceship being all in practice for some years now. Thus, even a 16+ years mission is available for free on particular platforms worldwide.
Taking into consideration all aspects mentioned above, VR has the potential to transform traditional travelling by providing a more immersive and cost-effective way to explore new destinations. However, it is imperative to note that VR is not an adequate replacement for traditional means of travelling and should be viewed as a complementary tool for enhancing the overall travel experience.