I n recent years, a new trend has emerged in the travel industry that promises to revolutionize the way we experience destinations: augmented and virtual reality. This innovative approach utilizes technology to provide immersive and accessible experiences, particularly focusing on heritage sites.
As we look to the future of travel, virtual tourism stands at the forefront of change, offering opportunities for exploration, preservation, and sustainability. Augmented reality holds the potential to provide real-time information and interactive experiences for travelers as they navigate unfamiliar destinations.
Several countries have embraced AR to enhance tourism experiences. Japan, France, and Australia, among others, have integrated AR into their initiatives, offering travelers innovative ways to explore their heritage and attractions. In Japan, AR-powered smartphone apps provide virtual guides and immersive cultural experiences, showcasing the country’s rich heritage and modern attractions. France offers AR-enhanced walking tours in cities like Paris and Lyon, while Australia uses AR to highlight its natural landscapes and indigenous heritage.
Augmented and virtual reality technologies are also entering the world of tourism in Oman, offering tourists a new way to discover the country’s landmarks. Last year, virtual tourism was activated, which involved using virtual reality technologies to provide virtual tourism experiences. This was done by promoting Oman touristically by highlighting tourist attractions to virtual tourists, with the aim of including visiting Oman in their tourist programs later.
Muscat Municipality presented an exceptional experience during the Muscat Nights events last year, which focused on showcasing Omani heritage and presenting the identity and cultural heritage of the Sultanate of Oman.
This was done through an innovative corner in the heritage village, which brought together leading Omani institutions in the field of technology and the promotion of virtual reality. This corner in the heritage village was distinguished by providing a unique and unconventional experience for visitors, as this participation aimed to introduce visitors to Muscat Nights to the prominent sites in the Sultanate of Oman using virtual reality technology.
This technology provided a simulation of six different locations in Oman, where special virtual reality lenses were able to transport visitors to these locations and give them the feeling that they are part of them. After wearing the (VR) glasses, the visitor moves to one of the six places (Wilayat Sur, Nizwa Souq, Muttrah Souq, Al Alam Palace, Royal Opera House, Misfat al Abriyeen) and wanders around as if he were in the same place, and the owner of the experience will discover a hidden and distinctive adventure that pushes him to the challenge; By searching for the Muscat Nights logo, which is initially dark, then by adding an electric circuit to the logo, the logo will light up in the corridors of the area where the visitor wandered virtually.
The goal of this idea is to strengthen the spirit of technology but in a way that is loved and easy to use and interact with, and at the same time revive the heritage through advanced technology that can present the past in a non-stereotypical way. This initiative comes within the framework of Muscat Municipality’s interest in adopting emerging technologies to provide vivid images of Omani heritage and culture. The corner aims to change the traditional image of heritage and introduce generations and visitors to the heritage village and its landmarks in an innovative way. This goal was achieved through cooperation with emerging Omani companies in the field of 3D drawing and advanced technologies.
The corner was an opportunity for talented Omani youth in the field of technology to present their ideas and activate them, and to shed light on their visions of history and heritage. In addition, AYN platform, through its various channels, promotes some tourist areas and places in Oman by creating a virtual reality season. It is a program that includes many tourist places in Oman that you can visit through virtual reality glasses. This idea comes to introduce the tourist to the place before visiting it, which helps him to form a clear picture of the tourist attractions and Omani culture.
This technology is being promoted and promoted by activating it in exhibitions held in Oman, such as the Book Fair, as well as participation in events outside the Sultanate to introduce visitors to tourist places in Oman. One of the most important benefits provided by this service is saving time and money, as the tourist can get to know many tourist attractions without the need to travel to Oman. In addition, it is an interactive experience, as virtual reality technology allows the tourist to have an interactive experience with tourist attractions, which helps him to understand them better before visiting them. As we envision the future of travel, it’s clear that technology will play a central role in shaping the industry. Other than augmented reality, the following trends are also becoming more popular: personalized travel experiences, blockchain transactions, smart destinations, and virtual reality travel are poised to transform the way we explore the world.
These advancements promise to enhance the traveler experience, offering greater convenience, security, and customization. For the case of Oman, the country stands on the cusp of a tourism transformation, recognizing the potential of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) tours to unlock the hidden gems of its rich heritage. With a treasure trove of historical landmarks and cultural marvels, Oman’s strategic investment in AR/VR technology promises to redefine visitor experiences while preserving its legacy for posterity
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