The GCH Hotel Group, one of the largest hotel management companies in Europe, has made virtual reality (VR) views of its 120 hotels in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Great Britain, Spain, and Cyprus available via a new VR website.
The Berlin-based management company says that its VR travel portal is a first for hotel groups.
The imagery is designed to look great with various viewers, such as Google Cardboard and Oculus Rift.
Without VR device help, it's not spectacular. But with the gear, users can take advantage of 360-degree navigation through properties via a multi-media presentation.
The site is optimized for use by mouse or Oculus Rift, touch gestures or gyroscope for tablets, and with an accelerometer for smartphones, Daniel Wishnia, director of digital promotion at GCH, told Tnooz. It is also compatible with any cardboard or headset over a browser.
The company runs properties marketed under brands of franchises like Accor Hotels, IHG, Carlson Rezidor, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and Best Western -- all of whom will probably be watching projects like this one with interest.
The GCH Hotel's virtual reality site debuted this week with Wyndham and Days Inn hotels, but all of the company's hotels will have imagery on its VR website shortly, the company says.
The website was designed by Zaragoza, Spain-based design shop Unboring, which focuses on ways of bringing 3D and VR to the web.
The site will be on display at the ITB Berlin trade show next week.
GCH says it serves more than 3 million guests a year, though it did not say how much marketing money it would spend to get the word out about its VR site.
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