Not too long ago, many made fun of people who preferred to stay inside instead of traveling or going out. 

But today, you can do both! 

That’s right. When you remember how far we’ve come with technology, it doesn’t sound so crazy. It’s becoming very common for people to simply travel virtually or attend events entirely online.

This might still sound wild, but trust me, it’s not. Many factors, like rapid digitalization, the evolution of technology, and the relatively recent COVID-19 epidemic, contributed to the development of staying connected remotely. 

So, let’s see what virtual travel is all about.

The Evolution of Virtual Travel

As we mentioned, many things contributed to the development of virtual travel. But what advancements are we actually talking about? Let’s see what they are.

Development of Digital Reality Hardware

You can’t talk about the virtual world without mentioning three things:

• Virtual Reality
• Augmented Reality
• And 360-degree Videos

These technologies allow people to experience 3D spaces from the comfort of their homes and have massively contributed to the advancement of virtual travel. 

Current Trends and External Factors

Let’s face it: Social media has brought us closer emotionally but not so much physically. Moreover, the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has made people much more cautious. 

For example, people are much more reluctant to attend events—just in case. Combining these two things has opened the door for online events, virtual travel, and classes to prosper. 

Digital Destinations: Go to Places

Okay, we established that virtual travel has seen a lot of advancements. But how is it relevant to us? What can you even do through virtual travel? Well, let’s find out!

Museums and Site Tours

You can use virtual travel to visit some museums you can’t visit just yet. But it’s not just about museums. You can go virtual sightseeing or visit any place in the world.

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re planning on traveling somewhere, you can use virtual travel to scout locations and plan routes. Google’s Street View is perfect for this!

The Louvre’s Virtual Tour

The Louvre is one of the most popular museums in the world. But even if you get to Paris, tickets for the Louvre are very expensive. 

However, no matter the price, anyone should be able to visit this monumental collection of historical art and artifacts. We’re not the only ones who think so; the Louvre has actually set up a full virtual tour of their museum. 

The Great Wall of China

Much like the Louvre, the Great Wall of China is a must-see for anyone who can afford it. But again, sadly, not everyone can afford that trip. Again, virtual travel comes to the rescue. You can visit the most interesting parts of the wall through the Google Online Travel tool.

Online Cultural Festivals

Another great use of virtual travel technology is attending virtual events or seminars. There are many things you can do when you think of virtual travel this way. My favorite are: 

• Music Festivals
• Film Festivals
• Scientific Seminars
• and Art Exhibitions

However, the list doesn’t stop there. Additionally, these are not just empty suggestions. Festivals like Burning Man, the Sundance Film Festival, and Coachella are all excellent options that have virtual attendance options. 

How does Virtual Attendance Work?

Virtual attendance is actually quite simple. While it depends on the event, most of the time, the venue sets up a 360-degree camera and captures the whole atmosphere, including the performance. 

In terms of getting the content to the fans, most venues simply stream the experience so that fans can watch it live. As we saw, in some cases, the full virtual tour is uploaded to a website for anyone to access.

Challenges and Limitations

I know I might have made virtual travel sound like the best thing in the world, and while it is, for the most part, it is, there are still some limitations.

Necessity for Equipment

While most virtual travel options don’t require anything more than a function screen, some are highly inaccessible and require the viewer to own VR equipment, especially if they want to enjoy the full experience. 

Quality of the Experience 

While technology has made many leaps in virtual reality technology, realistically, it’s got a ways to go before we’re at a point where we can’t tell the difference. 

This raises the question of how good the experience would actually be. While you are likely to have fun, it’s difficult to compare it to the real thing. 

Conclusion

Well, there you have it. We’ve covered the basics of virtual travel and how you can use it to its fullest potential. 

I hope that now you understand both the power and the limitations of this technology and you found a way in which it can be useful to you. 

Remember, the things we talked about are only suggestions; do your own research and see for yourself exactly what you can do with virtual travel!