India Opens New World of Virtual Reality in Netherlands
Mr Jan van Zanen, Mayor of Utrecht, lights the lamp at the inauguration of the India tourism stall
Gone are days you explain to tourists, travel planners and tour operators about the destinations through pamphlets, brochures and other printed materials. Kerala Tourism and Government of India are making waves at the Vakantiebeurs (Holiday Fair) 2018, the largest tourism event in The Netherlands, by offering hands on experience to the visitors by taking them through the destinations through virtual reality (VR).
Mayor of Utrecht views India’s major tourist attractions in Virtual Reality
Visitors at the ‘Incredible India’ and ‘Kerala Tourism’ stalls will be able to view India’s major tourist attractions through VR, a novel initiative taken by the Embassy of India in collaboration with India Tourism. Virtual reality offers immersive, 3-D experiences via videos with 360-degree perspectives, through which visitors will be able to enjoy the experience of visiting the tourist attractions like Qutub Minar, Amer Palace, Khajuraho, Nalanda, Kailashnath Temple, Athirappiliy Waterfalls, Alappuzha Backwaters and various other cultural and natural landmarks in India.
Mayor of Utrecht and Ambassador of India inaugurate the Kerala stall at the Vakantiebeurs
H.E Ambassador of India to the Netherlands Mr Venu Rajamony and Mayor of Utrecht Mr Jan van Zanen inaugurated the ‘Incredible India’ and Kerala Tourism stalls on January 9, 2018. The Mayor was the first to view India’s major tourist attractions in Virtual Reality, a novel initiative taken by the Embassy of India in collaboration with India Tourism. As a special attraction, visitors also received opportunity to take pictures of themselves with monuments such as Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar etc as well as wildlife and natural landscapes. The stalls were inaugurated with the Mayor and Ambassador Venu Rajamony lighting traditional Indian lamps. Indian refreshments were also served to around 500 visitors throughout the day.
Vakantiebeurs is held every year in the city of Utrecht at the heart of the Netherlands and attracts a large number of visitors. Almost 1050 companies are participating in 2018. Around 10 travel companies from India are co-exhibitors at the India Tourism and Kerala Tourism stalls this year.