What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality is all of our 5 sense organs, digital and physical factors that make us feel as if we are really in that virtual world. Virtual reality is one of the rapidly advancing technologies in today’s world. Virtual reality glasses (VR Glasses) are one of the electronic devices that benefit the most from this technology. By using these glasses, you can go to the world you want, freely roam as if you were actually there. It may be possible to use all of our 5 senses, but today’s technology most commonly uses our two senses: sight and hearing. There are technologies that can simulate our emotions such as smelling or feeling, but their use is not common yet because they are expensive and difficult to access. virtual reality; It can be used in sectors such as education, industry, travel, health, defense industry, entertainment and games. Culture and tourism is one of these sectors.

Where and How is Virtual Reality Used in Tourism?

An exact target has not been determined yet on where and how VR (virtual reality) will be used in the tourism sector. But if we give an example of the important usage areas of this technology; It gives the tourist the possibility of guessing questions such as where he will stay, where he will visit, where he will visit. If this opportunity is used well in the tourism sector, it can make great contributions to the sector. When this technology is used as a promotional tool, people will feel like they are on vacation during the promotion, but they will make adjustments to complete this trip as their experience will be incomplete. If he doesn’t like his experience in virtual reality, he won’t have to waste money. People who normally lack time or money may also prefer virtual reality, which is a cheaper and faster solution. The use of three-dimensional models with the help of virtual reality instead of two-dimensional models in touristic trips undoubtedly makes this technology more attractive. While in virtual reality, one can feel himself in the environment, interact with the environment, multiple users can communicate with each other in the same environment at the same time. However, there are some obstacles in front of these developments. Realistic images are difficult to obtain, large databases and advanced computers are needed to obtain these images. Therefore, some more time is needed for such applications to become widespread. Virtual tour applications started with virtual museum tours. Some of the best museums in the world use virtual reality to make tourists experience their museums in a virtual way. Although it is not a substitute for being physically there, it may make more sense to opt for virtual reality glasses rather than not visiting at all.