Airbnb is Using VR to Offer Virtual Reality Home Tours
Ellen Smith — December 13, 2017 — World
Airbnb is encouraging transparency from its hosts, as its new feature will enable guests to undergo a virtual reality home tour, so they know exactly what to expect upon arrival.
The platform hopes to use virtual reality to offer guests virtual tours of the home, where they can more accurately view the living quarters, prior to making a decision about renting the space. Hosts could upload 360 degree photos and 3D scans, that would fully immerse a potential guest, enticing them to stay.
In addition to virtual reality, Airbnb hopes to implement elements of augmented reality. For example, through the app, AR could provide contextualized information, such as walking directions with coffee cup icons marking local cafes, or instant captioned translations.
The platform hopes to use virtual reality to offer guests virtual tours of the home, where they can more accurately view the living quarters, prior to making a decision about renting the space. Hosts could upload 360 degree photos and 3D scans, that would fully immerse a potential guest, enticing them to stay.
In addition to virtual reality, Airbnb hopes to implement elements of augmented reality. For example, through the app, AR could provide contextualized information, such as walking directions with coffee cup icons marking local cafes, or instant captioned translations.
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Reality Home Tours - The VR home tours trend presents opportunities for innovative and immersive vacation rental experiences that allow guests to fully visualize and book properties remotely.
2. 360 Degree Photographs - The use of 360 degree photographs offers an opportunity for hosts to showcase their rentals in an immersive and realistic way that increases booking probabilities for potential guests.
3. Augmented Reality Assistance - The AR assistance trend presents opportunities for guests to receive contextualized information, enhancing their communication with the host and their experience within the rental location.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - Using VR and AR to enhance guest experience while booking and staying at vacation rentals can increase competitiveness and customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry.
2. Real Estate - The virtual reality home tours trend can disrupt the real estate industry since it allows for remote property tours with immersive features that better showcase properties, improving purchase probabilities.
3. Technology - The VR and AR trends present opportunities for developing innovative solutions, features and tools that seek to enhance and empower the vacation rental experience for both hosts and guests, disrupting the technology industry.
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