Technology Saving the Tourism Industry

It’s been almost a year when, as the connected society claimed it, the world stopped.

Forbes recently published an article about how the COVID-19 Pandemic has cost the global tourism industry $935 Billion in losses, opposed to the 2019 global travel and tourism contribution to the world’s GDP of  $8.9 Trillion. If you take a look back pre-pandemic, tourism has already found a way for tourists to enjoy traveling and other tourism-related activities. Flexible travel packages, installment payments, preordering of tickets, and the like are just some of the marketing strategies being used before. These are good examples that people, despite difficulties, are ready to find ways to achieve their #travelgoals. Because let’s face it, tourism and traveling are good for everybody’s mind and soul. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, even these marketing strategies weren’t able to help. Yes, flights are cheaper now but to add additional expenses such as testing, quarantine, insurance,  it is now more expensive, even troublesome and you are not even sure you’ll be able to enjoy the trip and the tourist places.

But despite all these difficulties the tourism industry is facing, another business sector continues to thrive and has found a way to rebuild it. The technology industry now has several solutions that can potentially help tourism regain its past standing.

Holograms

While it will not replace the feeling of actually being on a certain tourist spot, the use of hologram is as close as we get – and the best one so far. This is the possible key to those who want to experience different cultures or local heritage while making sure they are still safe and following the new normal protocols.

We are proud to share that AWTG’s hologram solutions have already been deployed in some countries around the globe and have garnered positive feedback. It can be used in a variety of ways such as real-life holographic visualization of people and places; immersive travel guide; mixed reality visual presentation that can be put into playback in the future.

Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality / Mixed Reality

Immersive technologies are already available providing aide to different business sectors.

Now that AR/VR/MR is getting better and bigger, the possibility of creating different immersive portals to travel the world digitally is now possible. AR has always been regarded as one of the most anticipated applications in the 5G era and indeed, it is now serving its purpose.

While we wait for life to go back to what used to be normal, these improved technologies are now available for use. This is the closest we can get in order to recreate the former glamour of the tourism industry!