When it comes to booking a holiday, customers want as much information as possible before committing, so that they can make a calculated decision. This information comes in the form of web pages, photographs, travel planning apps and holiday comparison sites such as TripAdvisor. By accruing a large store of detail about each aspect of the trip, holiday-makers will know what to expect, and, crucially, there will be no nasty surprises or holiday nightmares resulting in wasted time and money.
As technology races into the future and spreads across all industries, one resource that will likely prove indispensable to the hospitality industry moving forward is virtual reality. With virtual reality headsets, potential customers are able to digest more information about their prospective holiday than ever, as they can have a near complete visual experience of all aspects of the holiday. With clear visibility over all details of the holiday, there can be no unpleasant surprises.
A fully immersive virtual reality experience will be downloaded to a device connected to a virtual reality headset, allowing the potential customer to visually experience every aspect of the stay. This goes right from seats on a flight through to the hotel room, the view, the restaurant and even local activities that are available. Holiday-makers can leave no stone unturned before parting with their cash, as virtual reality practically guarantees that all nuances of the holiday will have been experienced to some degree beforehand.
The development of virtual reality within the hospitality sector can only be a good thing; with all aspects of the holiday scrutinised before a trip, there can be no excuse for poor standards on behalf of hotel and restaurant owners. This will drive standards up, creating a better experience for all involved. Travellers will have the assurance of a fantastic stay, and businesses in the hospitality industry will be able to build rapport and loyalty between themselves and their guests.
Virtual reality is still fairly uncommon in many of the industries which it has the potential to disrupt and transform. As such, it is very much an untapped resource from a marketing perspective. Companies in hospitality should keep up with trends in VR and make sure that they are fully reactive in order to stay ahead of the game.
