The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the Metaverse to help travellers decide on their destinations. A new survey conducted by Booking.com has revealed the travellers’ strong interest in virtually exploring destinations as they decide on their itinerary. The popular online travel agency surveyed 24,179 respondents from 32 countries around the world.
Booking.com found that people are most likely to try out travel experiences in the Metaverse were Gen Z (45%) and Millennials (43%). It said 43% of the respondents were willing to use virtual reality (VR) to inspire their choices. The survey highlighted that 4,574 participants believe in travelling to new places only after experiencing it virtually.
And over 35% of the respondents are keen to spend multiple days in the Metaverse to get first-hand information and experience of the surroundings offered across popular destinations. Supporting technologies, as per Booking.com, helps improve this experience. Technologies, like VR, allow users to experience sandy beaches and tropical sun without stepping outside.
However, majority of the respondents, that is 60%, believe that the experiences via the Metaverse and virtual technologies are not even close to in-person experiences. The survey also found that some of the most popular destinations for 2023 are Pondicherry (India), Bolzano (Italy), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Hobart (Australia).
While the Metaverse takes customer experience to an entirely new level, it may alter the meaning of travel altogether.
