Virtual Virtual Tourism

Posted October 25, 2006
Filed under: muse |

Synthtravel

Instead of touring physical landmarks on Earth, Synthravel organizes tours to online places - places in online games such as Everquest, World of Warcraft, Second Life etc - so you don’t have to have a game character to see what it’s like, and there’d actually be a tour guide bringing you around to the more interesting places (you can request).

Now is this surreal or what? Many years ago, some predicted that tourism would decrease as they are replaced by online tourisms - we can see that that hasn’t happened. A virtual experience is no match for a physical one. But what about a virtual experience of a virtual world? Hmm. Subversion of the greatest order.

3 Comments so far

  1. DT on October 25, 2006

    Heheh, gives new meaning to taking a break. Its now is about taking a break in real life as well as in your virtual one as well.

  2. sunboar on October 25, 2006

    I signed up just to see how it works - I must say I’m disappointed though. Not only do you have to pre-schedule these tours - i.e. what day, time to “meet” (Say say! I’ve been pampered and conditioned by the online world), you’d also have to download that game client in which you want to visit.

    I thought they’d figure out something that can universally plug into each game. Am I asking too much for online tourism? Heh.

  3. DT on October 28, 2006

    Heheh,

    It is possible, self-guide or self tour. I supposed it has to do with the engine behind the program.

    I rather that a short trip away from my PC instead…

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