Amadeus Tests Virtual Reality as a Travel Booking Option

Navitaire, a reservation system for low-cost carriers that travel technology giant Amadeus acquired in 2015, is debuting a "proof-of-concept" of how travel searching and booking could work using virtual reality headsets. The transactional focus of this virtual reality (VR), or 3D immersive tech, makes it stand out. Almost no experiments have been publicized in how picking a flight or rental car and paying for it might work in virtual reality in a way connected to today's reservation and payment systems, giving the Amadeus-owned company an apparent head start over competitors. Until now, travel companies have mostly been interested in how they can use virtual reality to help consumers choose a vacation spot. Examples include Marriott's pop-up VR booths that let consumers try wraparound video views of exotic locales and the meetings-and-events industry's slate of new virtual reality offerings. But there doesn't seem to be enough money to be made in inspiring buyers. It is difficult to say if a piece of marketing, such as virtual reality content, causes a consumer to buy. That "attribution problem -- plus the expense of VR -- has led travel brands to only create a handful of good examples of VR travel content Yet "mixed reality" may become popular within a few years' time. Companies like Avegant, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, HTC, Samsung, and Sony are vying to create