HTC Vive has partnered with the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and Renwoyou (Xiamen) Technology Development Co., Ltd. to develop tourism apps using VR. Vive has identified tourism as an industry that will be disrupted by VR and the partners will use the Vivepaper VR reading app. Developed by Vive, Vivepaper is claimed to be the world’s first augmented-VR (A-VR) enhanced reading platform. Using Vive’s VR headset (or compatible mobile VR device), users will be able to interact with a paper booklet printed with Vivepaper QR codes simply by making gestures. This includes mimicking the turning of pages or pointing at virtual objects using one’s fingers, with the aim of allowing readers to easily immerse themselves in the virtual world.
There are already 11 Vivepaper magazines of destination content that access 5,000 360º videos of scenic areas. Comprised of a dual-screen desktop device with one screen for customer display and one for salesperson operation, this system will be deployed throughout the country via the Smart Tourism Offline Transaction System developed by Renwoyou. In addition to VR demonstration and travel product sales, it can also realize a range of sales management services including electric contract signing, online notarization, and currency exchange. The system may be rolled out into up to 200,000 stores.
Analyst Comment
You have to admire the amount of work that HTC is putting in to drive the adoption of VR and to try to make the most of its ‘early mover advantage’. (BR)
