Oculus Rift
What do Marriott, Emirates, the Val d'Oise General Council, Thomas Cook travel agency and the South African Ministry of Tourism have in common? Oculus Rift glasses. Since seduction begins with the eyes, all these players are banking on these high-tech masks that immerse those who wear them in augmented reality. The strength of the Oculus Rift - a technology bought by Facebook for two billion dollars - lies in its ability to enable virtual tours and remote discoveries in 3D and 360°. If you don't come to Auvers, Auvers will come to you: better than a paper brochure, those involved in promoting tourism in the Val d'Oise are using Oculus Rift to promote the department around the world, to encourage the Chinese, for example, to visit this village that was so inspiring to Van Gogh, as well as the Château de La Roche Guyon and Lake Enghien. Similarly, Emirates has tested this technology to immerse users in the world of its Airbus A380s, taking them on a virtual tour of the luxurious First and Business cabins or the spa shower.
British Airways puts its lounges on iBeacon time at Heathrow
In addition to the "basic" information sent to travellers' smartphones before a flight - the gate or the start of boarding - British Airways is refining its welcome for business passengers using iBeacon technology. As soon as they enter the lounge at London Heathrow's Terminal 5, passengers are recognised and receive a personalised welcome message and Wi-Fi password. "The possibilities for optimising mobile and digital technology are endless, but they need to be developed without overwhelming our customers, with balanced added value."says Elisabeth Ruff, Commercial Director France at British Airways.
IDTGV: the SNCF's high-tech laboratory
As a subsidiary of the SNCF, IDTGV is reinforcing its "generation Y" credentials by playing the role of new technology experimenter. At the end of October, ticket inspectors were testing Google Glass at Beziers station. Equipped with the high-tech glasses, staff were able to check at a glance whether passengers were legally entitled to travel. While looking the passenger in the eye, the ticket inspector could also find out other useful information, such as the passenger's name or seat number. Very recently, IDTGV went a step further with an application enabling passengers to book and receive their ticket in the form of a QR code on Android Wear and Samsung Tizen connected watches.
VIP wristband
Guests at the Hard Rock and Ushuaïa hotels in Ibiza no longer need to carry their wallet or room key with them at all times. Thanks to their VIB (Very Important Bracelet), they can open their room, access the different areas of the hotel and pay for their drinks, all secured by a PIN code.
Teleportation
Marriott has been testing the Teleporter in seven US cities since September. Entering Star Trek-style cabins, the guinea pigs, wearing Oculus Rift glasses on their noses, were 'tele-transported' to the beach of a hotel in Hawaii or to the top of a London hotel. It was not just a virtual visit, but also a sensory one, with a process that allowed them to feel the heat of the sun or the sea mist.
