Forest Holidays trials Google Glass to enhance customer experience

Forest rangers employed by UK break specialist Forest Holidays are trialling the use of Google Glass.

Forest rangers employed by UK break specialist Forest Holidays are trialling the use of Google Glass.

An initial pilot scheme is taking place at the company’s Blackwood Forest site near Micheldever in Hampshire.

The company is reviewing how it could utilise the technology to enhance forest ranger experiences for customers at its nine locations

Early ideas being explored include developing an app for Glass to bring augmented reality wildlife experiences to life using data markers placed at strategic points along forest trails.

The initial consultations at Blackwood Forest tested the connectivity of Google Glass in an outdoor forest environment, and the types of content the rangers could gather whilst hosting their activities.

The next stage of the trial is for rangers to use Google Glass on their activities and work with holidaymakers to let them try Glass for themselves and generate further ideas on how they would like to see them used.

Sales and marketing director Jill Grinsted said: “This initial trial was an exciting first step but we are now looking for direct feedback from our guests to see whether Google Glass is something they would like to see implemented permanently.

“Forest Holidays is a place where visitors can switch off from phones, laptops and TV’s should they choose to but also have the opportunity to be fully connected and use the latest technologies to enrich their holiday.”

David Read, ranger at the Blackwood site added: “As soon as I read about Google Glass I wanted to try them so I was delighted to hear I’d have the opportunity to do so as part of my job.

“I am very excited to trial these further with our customers and see if we can leverage Glass in a way that encourages more people to get outdoors and explore our wonderful forest environment.

“If we are to make best use of this technology we will have to improve outdoor connectivity but capturing and sharing content was incredibly easy.

“There is so much to see and do in the forest and Glass will only help me capture and convey that to a wider audience.”