Metaverse experience to sway real-world travel choices in 2023: Survey

As borders open up following prolonged COVID-induced travel restrictions, the Metaverse, one of the latest sub-crypto ecosystems, is set to help travelers decide on the destinations they want to experience in person, reveals a new survey conducted by Booking.com personally.

Popular online travel agency Booking.com surveyed 24,179 respondents across 32 countries, which revealed travelers’ strong interest in virtually exploring destinations as they decide on their itinerary. Out of the lot, people most likely to try out travel experiences in the metaverse were Gen Z (45%) and Millennials (43%).

Nearly half, or 43% of the respondents, confirmed their will to use virtual reality to inspire their choices. Among this group, around 4574 participants believe in traveling to new places only after experiencing it virtually.

Moreover, over 35% of the respondents are open to spending multiple days in the Metaverse to get the hang of the surroundings offered across popular destinations. According to Booking.com, supporting technologies such as haptic feedback will help improve this experience by allowing users to experience sandy beaches and tropical sun without stepping outside.

However, 60% of the respondents believe that the experiences the Metaverse and virtual technologies offer don’t come close to in-person experiences. Some of the most popular destinations for 2023 include São Paulo (Brazil), Pondicherry (India), Hobart (Australia) and Bolzano (Italy).

Related: Metaverse ‘explosion’ will be driven by B2B, not retail consumers: KPMG partner

Tech giant Microsoft’s plan to step into the Metaverse business hit a massive roadblock after the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought to block the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $69 billion would have played “a key role in the development of metaverse platforms,” according to Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella. However, the FTC pointed out Microsoft’s anti-competitive practices, wherein the company limited the distribution of console games after acquiring rival gaming companies.