Technology has opened the door for accommodation owners and put them in touch with clients in ways you could only imagine in the past. There has never been a better time to push your business further, all with spending little to no money. It just takes a bit of an idea, some planning and a bit of time, and you can open your books to a constant stream of visitors.
A new trend that has the potential to dwarf Internet bookings and social media platforms is steadily gaining popularity in the accommodation industry… augmented reality. No, I’m not talking about how you feel after a few beers at the pub, augmented reality is a new technology that is loaded onto a mobile device and accessed via an app. The most popular AR example is Pokémon Go – this phenomenon took the world by storm by allowing mobile users the ability to ‘catch’ Pokémon in the real world by placing digital characters over their camera view in real time.
But how can this work in the accommodation industry? There are so many applications for this that my mind starts running at a million miles per hour. Imagine your guests come and stay at your park. They get to their designated campground or caravan and they access your AR app. You can load it up with helpful information from how to use a kettle to the borders of their camping spot, through to directions around the park. All they need to do is wave it around and the digital overlays can pop up and tell them what they need to know.
Another great example of utilising AR in your business is creating games along the lines of Pokémon Go to attract families to your business. Kids need constant stimulation, and most of the time they are buried in their devices anyway. Creating a location-based app for your park with a game is a fantastic investment and will allow kids across the park to socialise and meet up, which creates a real family oriented space, and will give you a huge advantage over the competition in your area.
You can also provide an app for your visitors that is loaded up with a ton of information about the local businesses and sites. Imagine google maps but super charged. Your clients just need to download your app, and it will guide them through the area with easy to follow directions and tourist site information. You can even work with local businesses and offer discounts, special offers or just general information about the town.
AR opens the world up in a way that I couldn’t have imagined a few years ago, putting a tool into my hands that pushes me miles ahead of my competition and truly allows me to highlight the unique area I live and work in. It gives me the potential to make my park a standout, both nationally and internationally.