HOLIDAYMAKERS could be taking virtual trips from their sofas within the next four years.
BT futurologist Ian Pearson told delegates at last week’s Travolution Summit the technology already exists to create virtual holidays.
Graphic chips, embedded in people’s skins, can offer lifelike real-time images that can make virtual environments for business, shopping, education, socialising, leisure and travel.
Using this technology, people could be virtually transported from the front room to a sunset beach.
“There will be a convergence between the real world and the virtual world,” he said. “People may even holiday in fictional virtual environments that don’t involve any travelling, meaning people wouldn’t have to move off the sofa.”
Virtual holidays could be commonplace by the start of the next decade, Pearson claimed.
He urged the travel industry to put virtual travel plans in place now, warning there will be intense competition in this new sector, particularly from the gaming industry.
“You are in pole position to supply these holidays but I bet you haven’t even thought about it,” he said. “You should be in there before other sectors as it’s an area you can make lots of money from.”
Pearson warned the industry it would increasingly clash with the gaming industry, because the forerunner for virtual holidays could see game consols replace the Internet.
He predicted consumers would use game consols to research for holidays by using the programmes to create virtual tours of resorts and hotels replacing existing online videos and 360-degree tours.
The consol could then be used to book the holiday, taking the place of online travel agencies.
“Computer games may be used to research and book travel,” he said. “Games consoles could be used to transport yourself to a beach. Holidaymakers could then book the trip on the gaming system instead of doing it through Lastminute.com or Expedia.”