Travel guide includes 360-degree videos to help tourists plan their trips

Berlin-based app uses algorithms for its 360-degree videos featuring top tourist attractions.

Virtual reality is changing the way we view the world, with the VR headset experience that takes customers to potential destinations they are considering to visit and the Eurostar creating a virtual reality undersea world on their journeys; these both show the potential of using VR in the travel industry.

Now an app created by a German-based startup, Lookaround aims to offer a real travel experience by including 360-degree videos with up-to-date recommendations and information. Unlike traditional mobile travel guides that are covered with adverts, the Lookaround travel guide allows users to preview and book museums, tours and attractions via its 360-degree videos. It gives users the opportunity to watch locals give suggestions on the area such as places to eat, top party and sightseeing destinations, and activities tailored to the users specific taste.

The use of 360-degree content as travel guides will be welcomed by consumers who are unsure of where to visit for their holidays. Lookaround aims to include other features such as field-of-view-adaptive captions to provide contextual information based on where users are looking at within the 360-degree video.

When investing significant sums of money on time away, videos such as these will help travellers feel confident in their choices and give them the opportunity to plan an itinerary ahead of their arrival. What other groundbreaking technology could help the travel industry create immersive and inspiring type of media content?