Augmented reality that brings travel brochures and other traditional marketing material to life was being demonstrated to delegates at this week’s World Travel Market.
AR tech earns 360VirtualMob WTM innovation accolade
Augmented reality that brings travel brochures and other traditional marketing material to life was being demonstrated to delegates at this week’s World Travel Market.
The technology developed by 360virtualMob helped it clinch the most innovative stand award at the annual trade show at London’s Excel exhibition centre at its first travel trade show.
The firm does not have many travel clients yet, but the technology has been used to promote Volkswagen cars, luxury watches and jewellery.
A demo on the 360virtualMob website shows how a Hilton hotels brochure was turned into an interactive 3D experience and the firm is in talks with hotel groups and tourist board.
Sanjay Jadhav, co-founder and director of 360virtualMob said: “It’s very early days for travel but people who saw it this week were wowed by what the technology can do.
“I can see the light at the end of the tunnel to take augmented reality into e-commerce.”
One application for the technology could be offering the ability to book excursions or hotels through the app by scanning a leaflet, brochure or a poster. It could also offer express hotel check-in.
The app developed for Volkswagen allows user to manipulate a virtual vehicle, changing elements like the colour in 3D.
Jadhav said data supplied by the app could be used to tell the car manufacturer what colours most people in a certain location choose to make sure that is what is being displayed at local dealerships.
For travel agents or tour operators that print deals leaflets he said it would allow them to print one version but change the content that the app displays.
Brochures and newspaper, magazine and outdoor advertising could also be configured to come to live with 3D images of the product, or video displayed when the user scans the advert.
Jadhav said the technology was more attractive than QR codes and offered travel firms an engaging way to interact with potential customers, more and more of whom will start their research on mobile.
