Virtual reality technology (VR) is making quite a mark on the events industry. We have watched it for a while and have witnessed its evolution from a novelty or futuristic gimmick to a legitimate and important business tool. VR strikes a chord with our visually-obsessed culture and boosts customer engagement, while also improving our services. Walking through floorplans, for example, in advance of an actual event has a positive impact on accuracy and accountability made possible by virtual reality technology.
The events industry is in the business of creating experiences and VR is revolutionizing our industry and our services.
Accessibility
VR is more accessible today than ever before. Many brands are coming out with VR goggle headsets which stores like Wal-Mart are beginning to carry. Facebook, a brand familiar to many, is leading the quest to bring VR to one billion people with the introduction of Oculus Go, the first standalone headset, scheduled to be released this year. The goggles have no connector wires, so the user enjoys more flexibility to use VR in a variety of contexts.
Using VR to sell a space or services
Imagine you are a venue with a property that has a spectacular ballroom with beautiful crystal chandeliers and a magnificent view of the city lights. You are thousands of miles from your property and sitting in a café with a potential client that is looking for an event space. Out comes your VR headset and you ask your client to have a look. Within seconds you have transported your client into your venue world! They are now immersed into the visual walk around of your property without needing to be on site.
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When Facebook bought VR pioneer Oculus for more than $2 billion, it marked the first shift of VR into a wide range of non-gaming applications. The opportunities for revenue growth of small vendors and venues of all sizes are truly endless.
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VR assists vendors in selling their space and services as it allows potential clients to generate a vision in advance of what their event would look like. Planners can also use Virtual Reality to come up with and present ideas for the space that they may not have visualized without the VR option.
VR has certainly changed the face of our business. When Facebook bought VR pioneer Oculus for more than $2 billion, it marked the first shift of VR into a wide range of non-gaming applications. The opportunities for revenue growth of small vendors and venues of all sizes are truly endless.
The future of VR
VR is the next iPad. Technology will continue to impact the events industry in new and exciting ways. Destination planning, in particular, will involve a whole new approach. Clients who can’t travel from site to site during venue selection and planning can walk the sites via VR. Clients will have control over planning that wasn’t possible before.
Virtual reality is set to become the next gold standard of event industry technology, so learn all you can about the equipment, platforms and how it works now. You’ll stay ahead of the game and be ready when your clients demand a cutting edge virtual planning experience.
