Not the Virtual Tours you may be used to !
You may be familiar with online virtual tours having seen a couple of highly distorted images arranged in a list and being sold as "just like being there". That is not what Right Click Productions call a Virtual Tour! Our Virtual Tours present images that are a far more accurate representation of the locations since we use digital video instead of highly distorted and manipulated stills. [Compare with traditional]
Virtual Tours that let you Tour !
Furthermore, our Virtual Tours actually let the user tour. Surprising as this may be, but traditionally the one thing that virtual tours have not allowed a user to do is to tour. This is because they have always been produced by creating a list of locations that could be viewed. The user could then jump to the next location, but with no way of knowing how each of these locations relate to each other. Our Virtual Tours, (as well as allowing the user to jump around from location to location), enable the user to walk from location to location and back again - watching video that shows them what they would see if they were actually there [See the difference]. This is achieved by means of digital video clips linking the locations together. We have developed a system whereby we can comprehensively video a location using high quality stabilised video equipment and the software that we have developed will then arrange this video and create the navigation to allow the user to tour.
Why this is good for Tourism
As mentioned above, most people choose their holiday destinations by watching highlights on TV, flicking through brochures and by recommendation from family and friends. A high quality Virtual Tour of a destination is a powerful way of complimenting these methods. Incorporated into the destinations existing web site (or even a new one if you do not have one yet [web design] ), it becomes a powerful tool for generating interest in your destination. Potential visitors checking out your destination are going to stay on your web site a lot longer, allowing you more time to sell them the idea of actually visiting you (in the real world !).
Additionally, links to local businesses and points of interest can be incorporated into the tour, enabling the potential holiday maker to start planning their trip. For example, local hotels could be promoted and the user could link to them and book a room online. If the hotels also had virtual tours of their property, then the user could even thoroughly check them out right the way down to the room they will be staying in [Hotels and B&B's]. As another example, if all of the local restaurants are included in your tour, then the user could have a look around, check out their menu and even book a table. Why would these potential holiday makers want to visit a different destination if we make it so easy for them to visit yours?
These tours can also be prepared for CD and DVD delivery. These can be included in any documentation sent out in the post to interested parties. Also, versions can be produced ready for purchase by visitors to your destination. These can be sold by local businesses as souvenirs - generating extra revenue and helping to publicise your destination. [see Video Postcards | Virtual Vacations]
