Since the pandemic has made it impossible to travel or even move about freely locally, people have sought other means to escape the current reality, a substitute for the real thing. We have seen a rise in staycations by 127%, according to Travel Daily Media, as travellers make do with local destinations. Brands like Nordic Spirit have also taken advantage of this trend, hosting a Nordic escape right in the centre of London.
Another substitute we’ve seen would-be adventurers turn into for escapism is virtual reality (VR) travel experiences. VR isn’t new nor is it new within travel, however, while it has been used in the past as a trailer or sales tool for the real thing, making it the entirety of the experience is a huge jump. Like it did for QR codes, the pandemic has revived the interest in and adoption of it; from tours of zoos and museums, to house viewings, car showrooms and now travel.
During the lockdown, Sygic Travel which primarily sold digital destination guides to travellers, offered virtual tours of popular destinations, an undertaking that saved the enterprise according to Barbora Nevosádová, head of business development at Sygic Travel. VR Filmmaker Tarik Mohamad has also been offering travel experiences as he takes travellers on a virtual journey while sharing stories behind the destinations such as The Great Pyramids of Egypt, and other landmarks across Paris, Italy, London, New York City, Brooklyn and more. Other VR experience of tourist attractions like The Great Wall of China, Sistine Chapel in Vatican City and even Buckingham Palace all gained traction with 86% positive sentiment according to Netbase.