In the past, the only way to experience a place was to be there physically. However, with the advent of technology, it is now possible to experience live virtual tours, which allow people to visit places from the comfort of their own homes. Live virtual tours have become increasingly popular in recent years, mostly during the Corona Pandemic, and they offer a range of benefits that are worth exploring.
And one imprtant point – virtual tours are not virtual, rather they are very very real. What distinguishes them from the well known traditional physical tours, is the fact that they are conducted from a remote location through computer or cellphone screen.
Live virtual tours are essentially live streams of a particular location or event. They can be accessed through a computer, tablet, or smartphone, and they typically use video and audio to create an immersive experience. The tours are led by a guide or presenter who walks the route of the tour with a camera and headset, for example me in the photo. The guide takes viewers through the location and provides commentary, information and stories along the way, or in other words, mediates beween yourself and the stories that stones have to tell.
You don’t need to travel
With a live virtual tour, there is no need to travel to a particular location, book accommodation, or deal with the logistics of planning a trip and getting from place to place. This makes live virtual tours a great option for people who may not have the time or resources to travel, for those with disablitiies or for those who prefer to avoid the crowds and hassles of tourism. At the end of the day, if you have a good guide you can enjoy a great and sometimes breathtaking experience for a fraction of the cutomary cost of tranditional tourism.
Access many locations from your home
Another benefit of live virtual tours is the ability to access locations that may be otherwise difficult or impossible to visit. This opens up a world of opportunities for people who are interested in exploring new places and learning about different cultures.
Private or group tour
Just as in tradtional physical tours, it is possible to schedule a private tour or join a group tour. And in many ways, it’s the same, meaning that as part of a group it might be difficult for you to ask as many questions as you would like to and that you can when in a privater tour.
But again, joining a group tour is a no brainer – you need to allocate an hour of your time and pay a small sum of money.
Yet the private tour option offers you a wide array of possibilities of which a few are mentioned below.
Huge array of possibilities
Virtual tours provide you with an exceptional arrray of possibilities with respect to where you go and with whom you do this.
You can schedule one of the proposed virtual tours as a participant in a group tour, and have your friends or family join as participants, or you can contact me and together we’ll organzie a specific virtual tour that you would like.
And this specific tour that you’d like or even those proposed by me, can be a private tour just for yourself, a gift for your parents, a tour for your family or friends that are in different locations, or as a happy hour acitivity for your colleagues at work.
And as you receive a recoding of the tour, you and the others that participated with you now have a video of an experience you had together.
Interactivity with the guide
Live virtual tours also offer a level of interactivity that is not almost never possible with pre-recorded content. Viewers can ask questions, make requests, and engage with the guide in real-time, which makes the experience more personalized and engaging. Additionally, live virtual tours often include behind-the-scenes access and insights that are not available to the general public, which make the experience feel more exclusive and special.
Limitations of virtual tours
Of course, there are some limitations to live virtual tours. For example, the experience may be limited by the quality of the video and audio equipment, as well as the internet connection. And needless to say that in no way does such a tour compare with sensory experience of being physically present in a location, which cannot be fully replicated through a live virtual tour.
Try one
Despite these limitations, live virtual tours offer a unique and valuable way to experience new places. They are convenient, accessible, and interactive, and they provide an opportunity for people to explore the world in new and exciting ways. As technology continues to advance, it is likely that live virtual tours will become even more sophisticated and immersive, making them an even more compelling option for those who want to explore the world without leaving their homes.
