We all know the Nitendo WII game and the interaction between the human body and the TV screen, but Augmented Reality (AR) is far more and open new possibilities…

Augmented reality, will further blur the line between what’s real and what’s computer-generated by enhancing what we see, hear, feel and smell.

For travel, Wikitude is the Augmented Reality (AR) platform which allows you to browse the world and helps you discover information about places and points of interest around you.

Augmented reality (AR) is a field of computer research which deals with the combination of real-world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time (Wikipedia).

I suggest you look at this 3 videos who show us some exemples and you will understand all the power and potentials for our Travel Industry.

Then I will suggest some travel applications.

Enjoy.

——————————————————————-

This video demonstrates the augmented reality camera view of Wikitude AR on a G1 phone from a beautiful viewpoint looking down on Salzburg. Wikitude is a mobile travel guide based on Wikipedia.

——————————————————————-

Last year car brand MINI took the first step in this direction when they created an augmented reality campaign in Germany where the user holds the ad in front of a webcam and sees an animated 3D MINI “pop-up” on the page.

——————————————————————-

This video showcasing i-TAG augmented reality toys. It’s the result of a cooperation between toy manufacturer Mattel and James Cameron in order to support the launch of the motion picture Avatar (coming in fall 2009).

——————————————————————-

Augmented reality possibilities are endless and can truly change the way we view the world.

Travel brand has a huge opportunity in building hype with technologies like this.

Can you imagine what direct marketing looks like in a couple of months or years.

Advertising: Travel marketers may consider using AR to promote a new product via an interactive, web-based AR application, like new brochure or interactive flyers.

Navigation devices: Outdoor navigation can be augmented for tourism discovery with interactive three-dimensional maps

Architecture: AR can be employed to virtually resurrect destroyed historic buildings, as well as simulate planned construction projects or museums and exhibitions .

Sightseeing: Models may be created to include labels or text related to the tourism objects/places visited. With AR, users can rebuild ruins, buildings, or even landscapes as they previously existed. Combined with a wireless network, the amount of data displayed is limitless.

Virtual conference system: AR can help facilitate collaboration among distributed team members via conferences with real and virtual participants.

Enhanced media applications : Virtual plants, virtual business card, travel panoramic views, artwork, decorations, illumination etc., enhancing everyday life.

With AR systems getting into mass market, we may see virtual window dressings, posters, traffic signs, Christmas decorations, advertisement towers and more.

Mobile and Augmented Reality seems the killer application. Imagine the power of Google and Augmented Reality…..You will use a new Google Maps, a others news services and news tools before, during and after your trip…

Once Apple releases it’s 3.1 update for the iPhone we should see a flood of Augmented reality apps hit the app store, and quickly gain wide adoption.

Tourism Board will show their tourism territory with new tools and new marketing, hotel can have interactive AR at the reception desk, Tour Operator will use new kind of AR brochures, even OTA and others distribution network can use this new technology…

What would your next marketing dream campaign look like if it was an augmented one?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

NB: Post made thanks Wikipedia and some imagination!

Popularity: 42% [?]