Original article publisher here: https://hrturizam.hr/en/ante-fumic-vr-hotelo-increases-the-guest%27s-decision-to-buy-additional-hotel-content
VR Hotelo is a new VR product on the market, but it is interesting because its application is completely focused on the hotel industry.
The tourism sector and hotel industry has always been at the forefront of innovation, and hotel brands are constantly looking for new ways to improve the guest experience. In the past decade, virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a powerful tool for hotels to offer new ways to interact with their customers – both for entertainment and as a tool to increase sales.
And now that trend is coming to Croatia.
The benefits that VR technology can bring to hotels are numerous, and still unused in our market, he says Ante Fumić from Prilika Group whose new product is the implementation of virtual reality for hotels through the product VR Hotel.
“The idea behind the product is to use VR technology to bring the guest a completely realistic “teaser” presentation of the experience in and around the hotel and encourage them to take action, i.e. to buy. Today, there is no technology that can lead people to action in a better way and bring them experiences from various The moment a hotel guest puts the headset on his head, we can guarantee that he becomes open to all possibilities and that he will decide on an experience he would never have thought of before. This is precisely the power of VR technology over all others solutions.” points out Fumić.
The very concept of VR can best be presented as a new medium for communication and sales, and the possibilities are unlimited in the context of content. Everything is a matter of production and the goal of communication, or even increasing sales, which is certainly interesting for hoteliers.
On the one hand, we focus on the B2C segment or hotel guests, where you can introduce guests to your hotel in a fun and different way, from entertainment to wellness content, as well as the B2B model. I emphasize, VR is just a new digital medium, such as TV displays, etc… it is interactive and gives a new and different experience.
Ante Fumić: VR Hotelo increases hotel sales and enables new sales options for already existing hotel products, destinations and partners in 360 view.
The VR Hotelo platform is intended for the hospitality industry in several directions, i.e. both in B2B and B2C models.
“The B2C model is the first module that we published, and it refers to a VR headset that is placed at the hotel reception, it is a completely independent and constantly on device, and it displays the content that the hotel decides and chooses to be displayed. Control over the headset is carried out exclusively by the movement of the user’s eyes, and does not represent any burden for the receptionists at the reception in the hotel. On the one hand, the hotel gets a platform for cross-selling and up-selling its own as well as other people’s products – hotel content, surrounding and destination content, hotel group content, as well as another opportunity to promote already existing classic marketing material that can also be implemented in VR Hotel.
On the other hand, guests get an attractive experience, unusual and far better quality 360 and 3D content, and they can see what the hotel really looks like, for example its restaurant, food offer, swimming pool or spa. They can also see, for example, a ride on quad bikes in the vicinity of the hotel recorded with a 360 camera for 30 seconds, in order to announce the real ride that they can buy at the reception. The guest can thus see additional hotel offers (wellness, restaurant, swimming pool, tours, your other hotels…), attractions around the hotel and at the destination (natural beauty, cultural sights, eno-gastro offer, sports activities…) and other content that is related to your business and which is additionally charged to guests. So, the usefulness for the guests is multiple.” points out Fumić and states that their idea is not to completely replace the paper brochure at the entrance to the hotels, but to work on the environmental awareness of the program providers in such a way that the hotels multiply the quality of sales as well as the experience of the users who put the headset on their heads and get a teaser of the experience that is being sold , where the price can also be highlighted.
“According to our research, paper brochures are increasingly being bypassed at the reception desk, primarily because of their unattractiveness and the poor impression of the experience they offer. VR headsets really do it 10x better and with better quality, you don’t need many seconds in our headset to confirm that for us. ” emphasizes Fumić.
You said that the focus is on sales – what can hotels sell and to whom? Give us some food for thought…
“I mentioned the modules, and they relate to your question. The first module that we published relates to B2C customers, i.e. to the device that refines the reception and through it offers a 360 experience to all hotel guests. The second module that is being prepared, relates to will be to the B2B audience, i.e. hotels will be able to sell congress halls or excursions through it, both in their organization or from partners such as various travel agency packages.Any experience can be inserted, as with other media or sales tools. We have image, text, video, i.e. in this case 360 video content and price. If we record the whole experience as 360 video content (VR content), then the whole story has a different dimension. A dimension that certainly makes it much easier to reach the holy grail in sales – and that is buying the experience itself. It is also an opportunity for a strong cross-selling point for hotel partners.
And the third module refers to staff training, which could actually save time when on-boarding new colleagues in the hotel, with simple actions that will be ready in their personalized case. ” points out Fumić.
In the area of workforce problems in tourism, is additional staff needed to work with the VR Hotel. That’s the question readers must be asking themselves?
Good question, you don’t need the receptionist’s help – emphasizes Fumić and adds:
“We often get questions about the receptionist’s help in using this device. In 99% of cases, the receptionist’s help is not necessary, because the headset is in constant standby mode, and putting the headset on your head automatically activates and displays the contents of the headset. The battery lasts 7-14 days, and that’s the time you don’t need to touch it.As for the implementation of the content, it is done once at the beginning and then later as needed, but everything is online so it can be done from a remote location.” says Fumić.
You mentioned how you also produce 360 video content. In my opinion, this is one aspect of a well-rounded process, with VR Hotelo that all video content, both from or about the hotel, and all content sold as travel packages/experiences should be in VR format.
“Yes, of course, it would be the best option for hotels, the most expensive because it is a production, but certainly the best and most comprehensive promotion through the VR platform. What should be emphasized is that many hotels, as well as agencies and tourist boards, already have some of the types 360 content. For example, virtual tours can be implemented on our headsets. It is important to know that the most attractive is the 360 video content, which we can record depending on the needs of the hotel production is also a part of this story, whereby we can prepare entire 360 video and photo content for hotels.” adds Fumić.
Finally, what everyone is interested in is what is the minimum set and what does it include? As well as the approximate price of course? Although we know that everything depends on several factors and packages, we do know a certain financial framework around the price of implementing a VR Hotel.
“The minimum set includes one of our VR headsets, one license to use the VR software application, and our content implementation on the headset. It also consists of several smaller parts such as an independent headset stand, a banner with instructions, and a charger for the headset. The entire implementation process takes 2 -4 weeks from idea to realization and fully functional VR Hotel at the reception. As for the price model, the price ranges from 2.000 euros to more. The whole story includes hardware, software, implementation and education for use. Of course, if various modules, multiple devices, multiple locations are taken, if we do video 360 productions, in that case the price varies and depends on what we have to do and in which locations. ” pointed out Fumić.
Finally, Fumić invites all readers who want to see live how VR works, as well as VR Hotelo, to come to their XRPG Showroom in Zagreb (Metalčeva ulica 5, Zagreb), where they demonstrate different XR experiences every day and develop VR ideas and application possibilities with clients. to their facility.
“The latest innovation is the hologram that came to the Showroom last week in cooperation with a Croatian company, which can also be seen and tested by everyone. On this occasion, I invite hoteliers to join us in the VR experience as a new digital step forward in the hotel offer. All hoteliers who after reading the text, until the end of May this year, you will receive a 20% discount on VR Hotelo, in order to further encourage the development of the hospitality industry in Croatia.“, concluded Fumić.