VR Technology Could Kill $7.6T Real-World Tourism And Art

Virtual Reality is quickly taking over many of the sectors in the tech industry, from smartphones to video games, but it isn’t about to stop there. Among the next targets are tourism and art, with examples of VR simulations already out mimicking what it’s like to climb Mount Everest and to paint on thin air. Once the technology hits full swing, the $7.6 trillion global tourism industry could take a bad hit.

During this year’s E3, a lot of VR-related gadgetry were shown off, from the “Resident Evil VR Demo” to the concept VR rig backpacks by companies like “Alienware.” However, what could potentially have a devastating impact on the world economy is the experience called “Everest VR” by “Solfar Studios,” which simulates what it’s like to climb the highest peak in the world.

Narrating her own session with the simulation, Esmeralda Portillo talked about how the technology allows users to get a glimpse of what climbers usually have to deal with when climbing Mt. Everest. Many of the critical aspects of the climb are present, from setting up camp, to using rickety ladders to traverse the dangerous environment, to reaching the very top and taking in the view that few people in the world have been able to.

While it is unable to provide many of the risks and elements that real climbers have to deal with, it captures much of the essence that getting to the top of the mountain presents; the sights and sounds, in particular. As Portillo points out, this technology could have a profound impact on tourism. Instead of going out into the world and spending money for things like lodgings, fares and so on, users could go to some of the most exotic places on earth in the comfort of their own homes.

Aside from VR tourism, a new form of art using the Google Tilt Brush could lead to a new way for struggling artists to cash in on the trend. Seemingly painting on air, users could conjure up brushes of colors and lines to practical form a sculpture of solid paint.