Unveiling the Future: How Virtual Venue Tools Are Reshaping the Hospitality Landscape

THE EVOLUTION OF HOSPITALITY MARKETING 

Before we delve into the world of virtual venue tools, let’s take a moment to reflect on the evolution of hospitality marketing. Traditionally, hotels and event venues relied on brochures, print advertisements, and websites to showcase their offerings. While these methods are still relevant today, they are no longer sufficient to capture the imagination of modern consumers. 

A NEW ERA OF HOSPITALITY MARKETING: VIRTUAL VENUE TOOLS 

Virtual venue tools encompass diverse technologies, such as virtual tours, 3D floor plans, digital twins, and augmented reality. They provide immersive experiences, enabling clients to explore spaces remotely. They aren’t limited to venues; destination promotions also include virtual tours to provide potential guests with immersive experiences of activities and locations. This 360-degree view of a destination and its amenities increases the likelihood that viewers will want to visit in the future. 

 Virtual tours are pivotal in hospitality marketing, enhancing decision-making, cost-efficiency, and guest satisfaction. Their benefits include:  

• Comprehensive Exploration: Users gain a 360-degree view of venues, aiding decision-making.  
• Simplified Event Planning: Planners access options without physical visits, streamlining venue selection. 
• Enhanced Event Planning: Event organizers visualize layouts and design virtually. 
• Time and Cost Savings: Virtual tours reduce travel costs. 
• Improved Guest Satisfaction: Transparency leads to higher satisfaction. 
• Global Accessibility & Flexibility: Venues become accessible worldwide. 
• Personalized Decision-Making: Users control their exploration. 
• Sustainability Benefits: Virtual venue tools reduce travel, lower carbon emissions, and align with growing sustainability trends in hospitality. 

EXPLORING THE DIVERSE LANDSCAPE OF VIRTUAL TOOLS IN HOSPITALITY 

Diverse virtual venue tools shape the hospitality landscape: 

• 3D Floor Plan Design: Traditional floor plans are confined to 2D, but 3D floor plan design ushers in a new era of immersive experiences. Hotels and event venues can provide guests with a holistic visual representation of their spaces, facilitating easier visualization of spatial layouts, experimentation with diverse seating arrangements, and the optimization of every square foot. Event planners also benefit from 3D floor plans, using them to craft bespoke event spaces tailored to their client’s vision. For example, Prismm’s collaborative floorplan platform offers tools for venues to collaborate with event planners and clients. It includes features like 3D floor plans, 3D Tabletop Designer, seating arrangements, etc., enhancing the event planning process. 
• Digital Twins: These highly detailed 3D replicas of physical venues capture architectural elements and interior design in real-time. In hospitality, they provide accurate representations for clients and empower venues and event planners to simulate scenarios, adjust setups, and analyze guest flow, offering unmatched customization and marketing capabilities. This level of customization enables venues to showcase their properties in a manner that traditional marketing materials simply cannot replicate. A good example of this technology can be seen in solutions like Matterport, where their combined virtual tour technology allows clients to design event layouts to scale and take virtual walkthroughs of their space for immersive event experiences. 
• Virtual Tours and 360-Degree Videos: These cutting-edge tools allow potential guests to embark on a virtual journey, exploring hotel rooms, event spaces, restaurants, and other amenities from the comfort of their own devices. By immersing themselves in these digital walkthroughs, guests can develop a deep understanding of the venue before making reservations. This personalized approach to decision-making instills confidence in users, ensuring they make informed choices. Leading hotel chains are embracing virtual tours and 360-degree videos to enhance their guest booking experience. On their respective websites, potential guests can explore hotel rooms, event spaces, and common areas virtually.
• Live-streaming software: This plays a pivotal role in the domain of event technology, particularly for virtual events or hybrid events that incorporate a digital element. We’ve all encountered the scenario during a live-streamed event when the presenter suddenly freezes on screen, leading to awkward moments of silence. It’s imperative to choose a robust streaming service that can handle the scale of your event. Additionally, ensuring that participants are well-informed about the chosen platform well in advance is crucial to allow them sufficient time for downloading and preparation. Some examples are Restream, Vimeo, IBM Cloud Video.

Beyond event planning, virtual venue tools enhance the guest experience:  

• Personalized Pre-Arrival Experiences: Customized interactions before arrival. For example, hotels leverage virtual tools to curate personalized pre-arrival experiences for guests. Before stepping into the lobby, guests can embark on virtual journeys, acquaint themselves with room layouts, explore hotel amenities, and even create customized stay itineraries. For instance, Quore specializes in these experiences, offering a comprehensive guest engagement platform that enables hotels to provide guests with personalized digital interactions before their arrival. Guests can become familiar with room layouts, explore available amenities, and even submit special requests, resulting in a tailor-made stay itinerary. 

• Enhanced In-Room Amenities: Augmented reality applications elevate the in-room experience for guests, offering virtual concierge services. These tools simplify navigation within the property and provide easy access and services. For example, at Disney Resorts in Orlando, FL once you check in using My Disney Experience app you can choose to lock/unlock your door with your smartphone on day of check in, amongst other things.

• Immersive Dining and Entertainment: Restaurants and entertainment venues within hotels leverage augmented reality to create immersive dining and entertainment experiences. Guests can utilize smartphones or AR glasses to engage with interactive menus, explore chef’s specials, and savor augmented reality performances during their meals. Kabaq for example brings immersive dining and entertainment experiences to restaurants and hotels, enabling users to see virtual 3D food on their table in-restaurant and when ordering online. 

Collectively, these virtual venue tools are reshaping the hospitality landscape by enhancing guest experiences, streamlining operations, and offering a more efficient and engaging environment for both guests and event planners. 

CHALLENGES POSED BY VIRTUAL VENUE TOOLS  

Challenges underscore the need for the hospitality industry to carefully navigate the integration of virtual tools while addressing potential drawbacks, including: 

• Continuous Technological Adaptation: Rapid advancements in virtual tools require constant updates and adaptations, placing demands on hotels and venues to stay technologically competitive. 
• Balancing Virtual and Human Interaction: While virtual tools offer immersive experiences, they can’t replace the personal touch of in-person interactions. Striking the right balance between virtual engagement and human connection is crucial. 

• Security and Privacy Concerns: The sharing of personal data in the virtual realm raises security and privacy issues. Safeguarding guest information is a top priority. 

• Risk of Over-Reliance: An excessive dependence on technology may diminish the personalized and human-centric aspects of hospitality, potentially impacting the overall guest experience.

• Training and Familiarization: Ensuring that hospitality staff can effectively use virtual tools and familiarize guests with their functionality can pose logistical challenges. 

• Maintenance and Technical Issues: Maintaining the smooth operation of virtual tools requires ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting for technical issues. 

• Cost of Implementation: Implementing virtual venue tools can be costly, particularly for smaller businesses in the hospitality industry. 

• Competition: As virtual tools become more widespread, staying ahead of the competition and offering unique virtual experiences becomes essential for hospitality businesses.” 

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: VIRTUAL TOOL TECHNOLOGY IN HOSPITALITY 

Virtual tool technology has emerged as a game-changer, offering a myriad of possibilities to enhance guest experiences and streamline operations. However, to make the most of this digital transformation, hospitality venues must strategically allocate their time and resources. Let’s explore the key areas that deserve attention: 

• User-Friendly Interfaces: The first step in leveraging virtual tool technology is ensuring that it’s user-friendly. Hospitality venues should invest in tools with intuitive interfaces that both staff and guests can navigate effortlessly. This simplifies the onboarding process and enhances the overall user experience.
• Comprehensive Training: Effective implementation of virtual tools requires comprehensive training for staff. Investing in training programs ensures that your team can make the most of these tools, whether it’s for event planning, guest services, or operations management.
• Security and Data Protection: Given the sensitive nature of guest data, security should be a top priority. Venues should invest in robust cybersecurity measures to protect guest information and ensure privacy. This not only safeguards your reputation but also builds trust among your clientele.
• Tailored Guest Experiences: Virtual tool technology can be used to create tailored guest experiences. Venues should invest in tools that allow for personalization, whether it’s through pre-arrival virtual tours, customized in-room amenities, or interactive dining experiences.
• Integration with Existing Systems: Seamless integration with existing systems is essential. Hospitality venues should invest in tools that can integrate with their Property Management Systems (PMS), Point of Sale (POS) systems, and other operational platforms. This integration streamlines processes and ensures data consistency.
• Regular Updates and Maintenance: Technology evolves rapidly, and virtual tools are no exception. Hospitality venues should allocate resources for regular updates and maintenance to keep their virtual tool technology up-to-date and functioning at its best.
• Monitoring and Analytics: Understanding how guests interact with virtual tools is crucial for continuous improvement. Venues should invest in tools that provide analytics and insights, allowing them to make data-driven decisions to enhance guest experiences.
• Sustainability: Sustainable practices are gaining importance in the hospitality industry. When investing in virtual tools, consider their environmental impact. Opt for eco-friendly options that align with your venue’s sustainability goals.
• Guest Feedback: Finally, hospitality venues should actively seek guest feedback on their virtual tool technology. Guest input can provide valuable insights for refinement and enhancement. 

In today’s evolving and increasingly sustainable-oriented hospitality industry, virtual venue tools revolutionize operations, enhance guest engagement, and contribute to environmentally friendly practices. To embrace this digital transformation while aligning with sustainability goals, venues must strategically allocate resources.  

Ready to experience the future of sustainable hospitality with virtual venue tools? Book a Demo with Prismm today to explore the possibilities and elevate your guest experience while minimizing your environmental footprint.