I came up with the idea and applied for National Virtual Vacation Day in the latter part of 2015 and was approved by the powers that be. And so it began in 2016, the first officially recognized National Virtual Vacation Day. It has been amazing to watch the advancements that have taken place these last few years. Also, the interest that people have shown in this emerging technology is pretty incredible.
How to Experience National Virtual Vacation Day!
In the beginning, we had a few players and some expensive, cumbersome equipment. Now, there are lots of players on the field and a lot more options than a bulky headset starting at $1,000.
The leading headset right now is Meta Quest 2, which is only $400 or so.
Oculus Stand Alone Virtual Reality Headset was $1,200 a couple of years ago and now is just $262 and does not require a computer, cords, phone, or anything!
Sony Playstation VR is just $114! And there are a few good ones that cost even less!
But some folks are holding out for Apple’s rumored VR/AR combination headset.
Learn my “go to” travel planning resource!
But tech companies aren’t the only ones pursuing VR & AR technology. Celebrity Cruise Lines launched Wonderverse in November 2022, positioning itself as the “first digital cruise ship experience in the metaverse.”
Tour companies are harnessing the technology to showcase destinations via VR. Perillo Tours in conjuction with Travel World VR is making 360-degree videos available through an app. Travel agents and reps can make these available to their clients (including free cardboard viewers) so they can get a better “feel” or understanding of a destination to determine if they want to book a certain trip.
For booking “real” travel, discover what’s way better than AirBnB!
Fully immersive virtual travel is here, thank to emerging techologies like AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality), and edge computing. And the next big thing in this arena may be “the metaverse,” where the digital and physical realms merge. In the metaverse, AR and VR can enable people to explore and interact with places they’ve always dreamed of visiting.
There are so many ways to enjoy National Virtual Vacation Day!
With the expansion of 5G technology, multisensory experiences are a real possibility in the not-so-distant future. Imagine, you could not only see but smell fresh baked New Orleans beignets or even taste a Pilsner at Oktoberfest without leaving your home! With big companies like Meta, Disney, Amazon, Microsoft, Equinox, and Delta Reality all fully invested in making the most of this technology, it’s sure to happen.
What the future holds is largely unknown. However, I believe I can predict two things with certainty.
- Virtual vacations are here to stay and morph into bigger and better experiences.
- Virtual vacations will not replace real vacations. They will be fun to play around with and they will be a great tool for trip planning. But nothing can replace the feeling of the real thing. In the end, virtual vacations will bring us closer to our dreams…and that’s a good thing.
Play around with VR travel for FREE or learn more about Virtual Vacation Day! (There’s even one option to go back in time to visit the place of your choice!)
Find out what other travelers have to say before you book your next trip!
Here are my favorite travel resources!
FYI: Did you know the latest travel trend is “wild swimming”? I found out during the Global Wellness Summit recently that there has been “an explosion of interest” in open-water swimming and winter dips in the ocean”. It began in the UK and has spread throughout the world. Believe it or not, there are health benefits to “wild swimming.” Companies are now offering trips to good “wild swimming” destinations, such as Iceland, Jurassic Coast (England) and the Cornish coastline. Here in the U.S., we’re starting to see it in New York at Lake Mohonk, Washington, California, and Colorado.
Check out dozens of downloadable travel reports!
Terrance Zepke studied Journalism at the University of Tennessee and later received a Master's Degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina. She has studied Parapsychology at the renowned Rhine Research Center. She began her career as a freelance writer and photographer, ... 
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