As we all know, the pandemic has made it impossible to travel freely. As a result, people have started to think about other ways to disconnect from reality, even if it’s just for a few days.

According to Travel Daily Media, we’ve seen a 127% increase in ‘staycations’ as travelers have adapted to more local destinations. Brands like Nordic Spirit have even capitalized on this trend, hosting a ‘Nordic Escape’ right in the center of London.

With the right VR strategy, virtual reality can be much more than a novel gimmick to make a splash – it can bring real value to consumers.

Another type of escape we’ve seen travellers turn to is virtual reality (VR) travel experiences. VR is certainly nothing new, especially in the travel industry, but until now it has been used almost exclusively as a sales tool or teaser – imagining it as the full experience is a big leap into the future. As with QR codes, which the pandemic has revived interest in, we now find VR in tours of homes, zoos, and museums, we find VR in car showrooms, and now also in the travel industry.

During the lockdown, Sygic Travel, whose core business was selling digital travel guides, offered the public virtual tours of some of the world’s top destinations. This choice effectively saved the company, according to Barbara Nevosádová, head of Business Development. Thanks to them, it was possible to take virtual tours around the world led by filmmaker Tarik Mohamad, listening to the stories of places like the Great Pyramids of Egypt and other notable points of interest in Paris, Italy, and New York. Meanwhile, proprietary VR experiences such as those of the Great Wall of China, the Sistine Chapel, and even Buckingham Palace have seen a big boost, with a positive sentiment of 86%, according to Netbase.

While we are seeing some very interesting uses of VR in travel, it is unrealistic to think that a ten-minute VR experience can replace a week-long vacation in Marbella – also because of the side effects such as nausea it causes in some people. But it can certainly be useful for more specific experiences, such as seeing Victoria Falls, on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, or the painted caves in the south of France.

VR’s role in tourism can also be useful in providing relief to cities that have suffered from unsustainable tourism pressure for years. As housing costs have risen and areas have become overcrowded, residents have protested, causing local authorities to restrict businesses that were living solely on tourism. VR can offer a sustainable solution to enjoy those views without overburdening residents. It could also be an eco-friendly choice that can reduce carbon emissions, perhaps by deciding at home which destinations are worth the trip and which can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

Virtual experiences will never replace ‘analogue’ ones. Their long-term success will be dictated by the role they carve out for themselves within the tourism industry. The artificial and ‘reproduced’ nature of VR conflicts with the very reason people travel: “to see things first-hand.” But what brands like Sygic have managed to do has proven that with the right VR strategy, virtual reality can be much more than a novel gimmick for a show: it can bring real value to consumers.