With the recommended travel restrictions and social distancing, travelers have had to shoulder the burden of not traveling and exploring the world as they are used to.
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In the past year, tourism has slowed and stalled in some countries, and local vacations are still out of the question for residents of many parts of the world.
With all the uncertainty about when people will be able to travel again as freely as before, tourist destinations have had to come up with smart ways to keep their doors open to tourists from all over the world.
Thanks to technology, travelers can still travel to the best destinations around the world without leaving their homes. Here's everything you need to know about virtual tourism.
What is virtual tourism?
Virtual tourism is a technology that offers travelers the opportunity to experience destinations, activities and tourist sites without leaving home.
Virtual tourism is offered in a variety of ways, including the use of virtual reality, video and audio technology, still images and interactive multimedia formats.
Any of these methods allow you to travel to different places anywhere in the world and have an almost real experience.
If you like virtual reality, you can experience different locations and activities through a VR headset.
You can also visit these places on mobile devices or a computer for a 360 degree experience in any destination of your choice.
The advantages of virtual tourism
The ability to experience places, activities and destinations without leaving your home offers a wide range of benefits.
Ease of travel
With virtual tourism, you can travel to your dream destinations without leaving your home.
This means you are not limited by flight availability, travel logistics, travel ability or security concerns.
You also don't have to worry about time zones and weather patterns to pick the perfect time to travel.
Travel cost savings
Saving travel expenses is another great benefit that virtual tourism offers travelers.
You only spend a small percentage of what you would physically travel to a destination with virtual travel.
Some travel destinations only charge a small fee to participate in virtual tours or subscription fees.
This cost-saving benefit also ensures that you can travel to places you would never have thought of going due to the high cost involved.
For example, you can make a tour through all the Seven Wonders of the World with virtual tours, which would require a lot of planning and savings when done physically.
Most people are embracing the rise of virtual tourism thanks to the availability of cutting-edge VR technology.
As a viewer, you can determine how you want to see a destination, including the chance of having a 360 degree view from any location.
Virtual tourism offers the perfect opportunity to imagine yourself anywhere in the world.
How virtual tour technology is used
Hotels, venues and destinations are using virtual tourism technology in different ways to offer the best views to their guests.
For many years, travel agencies have used virtual tourism to highlight the best aspects of different locations, including interesting activities, culture, fun facts and available attractions.
Local governments and hotels are using 360 degree virtual reality video technology to capture every detail about a destination.
That way, they can offer realistic tours to different people, from the comfort of their homes.
With 360-degree VR video technology, you can have a close-to-life experience like rock climbing, diving, roller coaster rides, hiking, and even a lazy day at a beach on a remote island.
Virtual reality photography takes still images and compiles them using special software to create a high-quality image at a 360-degree angle.
With VR photography, you can take a tour to see the Mona Lisa visiting the best art galleries in any location, experience living in a world-class hotel and visit the best museums at the click of a button.
Virtual tour technology also allows viewers to get in on the action by interacting with the virtual environment as they discover more through these interactions.
This is offered as a curated experience that allows you to enjoy an aspect of a destination such as virtual yoga classes, stargazing, nature walks or birding.
Best Ways to Explore the World Right Now – Virtual Tour Options
VR National Parks
If your safari plans are interrupted by the pandemic, you can still go on safari from the comfort of your home.
Most luxury tour operators have been offering live safari adventures and wildlife footage from different game reserves.
From South Africa to East Africa, you can enjoy a unique virtual experience of the best safari location in the world, including a virtual zoom where you can chat with guides to get all your questions answered.
You can also tune in to live cams on Exlplore.org for safari tours in some of the world famous destinations.
virtual sightseeing tours
With no limitations on where you can go, virtual tours are the perfect opportunity to visit entire cities and countries without the cost implications.
Most tourist boards offer interactive virtual tours of cities and countries to highlight the best places and destinations.
From London to Washington, DC, enjoy a comprehensive virtual tour of the most famous neighborhoods and landmarks.
If you love Paris, you can enjoy some of the best sites like the Louvre museums and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre.
Disney Virtual
We did exactly this a few months ago during quarantine when we were missing our friends. Disney parks and we even created a video on our YouTube showing how to do it there.
If you happen to have missed this video on our channel, be sure to check there:
We took a really nice tour through different areas of the Disney parks and we highly recommend it.
Even for those who have never been, so when you get there first time in Orlando won't feel so lost!
It was a pretty amazing experience and we had a lot of fun doing this virtual trip to Disney.
Of course, if you take your virtual trip and realize that the amount of things to do in Disney and Orlando is a bit too much, do not hesitate to contact us so that we can assemble your Custom itinerary for Orlando!
Underwater Virtual Tourism
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Underwater tourism has been termed as the future of distant social travel.
To ensure you don't lose your place, you can start experiencing the best underwater tourism destination from home.
You can take a scuba diving tour and explore the Great Barrier Reef or swim with the sharks.
Whatever your dream underwater experience, virtual tourism will provide you with
Broadcast travel programs
Most travel channels offer live streams of famous destinations for people to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.
Different live TV streaming services offer content over different destinations, and if there are any geographic restrictions that prevent you from seeing the content, you can get around that with a Brazilian VPN or with a VPN with a server in the country you want to access the stream.
You can live vicariously through travel bloggers anywhere in the world.
Whether you want a life at sea with your family or a virtual cruise, you can be sure that there is a channel for just that.
Go somewhere cold without needing a coat
You can experience a cold place by taking a 360 degree tour of ice caves in Antarctica without wearing a coat.
You can also head to the North Pole for an interactive virtual trip below and above the ice.
For a more whimsical Frozen Zone experience, you can take a live tour to Bergen, Norway, for a tour of the cold city that inspired the movie Frozen.
Virtual travel around Japan
If you visit the Japan is on your list of adventures, the Japan National Tourism Organization has prepared a 360 degree virtual reality movie of Japan for anyone interested in exploring the beauty that the country has to offer.
From sushi-making experiences to exploring bamboo forests, this VR experience will give you a glimpse of everything Japan has to offer.
Don't miss the live stream of the famous Shibuya crossing to experience Japan every day.
Walking on the Great Wall of China
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Walking the Great Wall of China is always at the top of most travellers' bucket list. With virtual tourism, your trip is closer than you imagined.
Enjoy a virtual walk on the Great Wall of China without the actual physical effort used in the process.
This virtual tour will take you 10.5 miles covering the Jinshanling and Simatai regions, known for offering some of the best views in China.
Virtual tour of the best world heritage sites
Google Earth has made it easy for anyone to travel to any of the 30+ world heritage sites through its 3D virtual tours.
From Taj Mahal to Stonehenge, you can visit any of them with just one click. It starts with a zoomed-in view of the planet, where you can click on a flagged location to zoom in from a space station to get an aerial view.
Scroll through the list of sites on the side of the screen to go anywhere you want.
Enjoy online theater performances
If you've been missing out on cultural experiences, you can now access world-class theater shows online from most of the world's best theaters.
The Glastonbury Festival may not be happening in 2021, but they could be planning virtual entertainment like they've been doing since the pandemic.
The Globe Theater in London is offering a virtual experience of most of Shakespeare's plays, while the Royal Opera House will offer virtual opera and ballet performances that you can enjoy at home.
Visit the Opera Vision website for other performances by Mozart, Verdi and Puccini, or the Metropolitan for streaming performances by some of opera's finest singers.
Conclusion
Even though virtual reality cannot be compared to real-life experiences, this technology brings you closer to your favorite places.
With the best virtual experiences, you'll be in a better position to plan your next adventure when it's safe to travel again.
I hope again that this post helped you in your research for your trip to Disney or Orlando.
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About the Author Carlos Braga:
Unparalleled experience in Orlando and Disney! As a former Universal Orlando team member and a passionate devotee of the magic of Disney, I have become a true Orlando travel expert. Before becoming a renowned travel consultant dedicated to Orlando, I had already made hundreds of visits to the parks, cultivating my knowledge and passion mainly over the last 7 years as a consultant and specialist in Disney travel.
My journey into this enchanted world began in 1995, when I took my first trip to Orlando. Since then, my love for Disney and the city has only grown. In 2023, we celebrate the sixth anniversary of 'Partiu Disney Parks', consolidating our role as one of the main sources of information about Disney and Orlando Parks.
During these six years of existence, we have continued to offer quality and updated content, being the reliable source for all those looking for essential information to plan their trip to Disney and Orlando. With my vast experience and passion for this magical destination, I am here to guide you every step of the way towards the most incredible Orlando and Disney experience!
