Opportunities of the Metaverse for the Hotel Industry (Part 1)

The metaverse for the tourism sector offers some interesting opportunities (link to our various articles) and, certainly, a sector that will benefit from it is the hospitality one. 

Indeed, a business will be able to improve its customer management throughout the whole customer experience and thus before, during, and after the trip, generating new revenue streams and monetizing its brand.

Replicate your mood
Any establishment can replicate its own ambiance or develop it in line with its own mood also with the help of architects and designers. Let’s imagine the entrance, reception, garden, rooms or meeting rooms.
Before travelling, the target tourist can enter and in an immersive way see the rooms and services, which he can then book directly.
The accessibility of the environments and enjoyment will be unhindered.

Source: ItalyWow

Events
At any time, the user will be able to rent virtual meeting rooms, elegant, probably furnished with the most iconic NFTs to host a meeting with major clients, corporate events, or family celebrations with others who are in other locations and who can attend in the form of avatars or meta-humans.
And so not only corporate events, one can indulge in various formats and with different levels of hybridization: concerts, exhibitions, and events of various kinds. The choice of setting will be part of the offer and bad weather will not be a threat.
The MICE segment may be faced with new challenges: in any metaverse, one can already have meetings and gatherings in creative but still standard environments. The status, organisation, and technology of an offer will determine its economic value and positioning.

Tourism
It is true that the meta-verse will not replace, especially for those who can afford it, the real experience with the virtual one. However, the guest may want to try out some previews or repeat at a distance, where feasible, the experience set in the territory.
The hotel or establishment reinforces its centrality as a hub within the destination.

Shopping
During their stay, guests will be able to interact more conveniently, also buying services and experiences, and ordering products and services that they can consume immediately or have delivered to their homes.
But this can happen at any time during the customer experience and will be an engaging and continuous experience. The purchase (and repurchase) of a wine I am drinking at the table, a piece of furniture, a perfume, or a souvenir. Every object in hotels will become a gateway to new shopping dynamics.

(to be continued)

Cover image: Screenshot Horizon Worlds/Meta

Francesco Redi

President and founder at Twissen. Manager in Local Development, Tourism Policies,  EU Funds. He cooperates with several European universities, public bodies, development agencies, DMOs and enterprises.