IN Guyana, many might have seen the virtual tours being shared on social media, including the recent tours of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), and the Parliament Chamber of the Public Buildings. The use of virtual tourism is becoming popular as companies bring a number of spaces and locations to you through the use of technology.

Fundamentally, virtual tourism is a hybrid concept which combines the notions of both virtual reality and tourism. In virtual tourism, a tourism experience is facilitated without having to travel anywhere; it takes several different forms, and comes in many degrees of technological capabilities.

Virtual tourism, in its simplest form, may comprise of a video of a tourism destination, where tourists are able to watch the video, utilising their audio and visual senses. More polished forms of virtual tourism include being engrossed in an environment through the use of a headset or simulator, like in virtual-reality games for example.

It may also involve the use of ‘props’ such as gloves, or additional sensations such as movement, feeling, and smell. Virtual tourism covers a broad scope of digitally-meditated reality, which includes virtual reality, and mixed reality, and augmented reality.

One company that stands apart in providing these amazing views is Virtual Estate 360, a pioneering virtual tour company headed by Ackeem Thomas.

As Thomas explained, this type of technology is fairly new to Guyanese, and although virtual tours were able to gain in popularity in many regions around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, the integration of this technology in Guyana is still unfamiliar.

But all that is about to change, he said. “As the world increasingly turns to digital platforms for exploration and education, Guyana will soon find itself at the forefront of this technology, with the rapid development of the country.

Virtual Estate 360 creates 3D/360-degree virtual, interactive panoramic views of real locations or spaces that allow persons to navigate through them from anywhere in the world.
Virtual Estate 360 was established in February 2022, during the pandemic when businesses worldwide were shut down. According to Thomas, his inspiration for the company came as a result of the negative impact of COVID-19.

He noted that businesses found it harder to attract customers, and to showcase their products. His company, he said, was established as a strategy to consistently promote businesses while generating sales.

ENHANCED CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

Virtual tours, he said, offers an innovative and versatile way to explore and interact in both physical and virtual spaces. It offers access, convenience, and enhanced customer engagement, efficiency, and informed decision-making. This ranges from services in industries such as tourism and education, to those in real estate and marketing.

Importantly, Thomas highlighted that the virtual tour concept will soon surround creating a virtual tour room, which can be incorporated in classrooms.

Schools in Guyana, he said, can integrate virtual tours into their curriculums to enhance learning experiences. Students will also be able to access the diverse range of learning resources and will be exposed to a number of career opportunities.

Furthermore, with a showroom in place, real estate agencies in Guyana will be able to benefit from creating virtual showrooms for properties, art galleries, and museums can exhibit their artworks and artifacts, making them accessible to global audiences.

With the use of 360-cameras and Digital Single Lens Reflex, DSLR cameras, and a tripod, Virtual Estate 360 captures the stannic panoramic views by incorporating augmented reality, and virtual reality technologies.

“These tours take persons on an interactive journey, additionally, the use of stitching software to stitch the 360-images together and a special software to generate the tours is used.”
With virtual reality headsets or something as simple as a smartphone, anyone can explore spaces from the comfort of their homes or venture out to guided virtual tours.

Thomas remarked that starting a virtual tour business can be both rewarding and challenging as it requires careful planning, execution and extensive market research.

“It is crucial to identify your niche, create a business plan, set up a professional online presence, choose the right tools and determine your pricing structure.”

These services are offered to clients that reach out for the virtual tour services. Thomas assured that while the cost is varying, it is still affordable, which all depends on the size of the space, and the number of images that must be taken.

Thomas added that while photos have their place in marketing, virtual tours provide a dynamic, interactive and immersive experience that enhances marketing for businesses. They offer a more realistic representation of a space and a personalized experience, and they provide a massive competitive advantage to set businesses apart.

To get in contact with Virtual Estate 360, persons can visit their website to see some of the work they have done, additionally, they can call +592 682-2413 or email them at atp@ackeemthomas.com.