Why The Metaverse Is More Than A Game For Next Level Hospitality | Article

Although shrouded in a cloud of consumer hype, it’s hard for businesses, especially in the hotel and hospitality industries, to see the incredible opportunity the metaverse presents. Hoteliers are ambitious, driven, and smart people, so why is the hospitality industry always the last to join the party when it comes to implementing new, cutting-edge technologies?

Ready player 1?

The B2B world and the companies that inhabit this space are typically the ones leading the way when it comes to initiating the adoption of new technologies. Subsequently, the consumer market follows soon after. Take the example of the cloud, originally used for corporate data storage, now home to selfies, food photos, and anything else that may reside in your phone’s camera roll.

There are already hospitality companies building hotels in the metaverse, where players can “work, sleep, and play.” Of course, we wish these companies well in their endeavours, but we would say that they may be missing a trick with this metaverse strategy.

When it comes to the metaverse, the real value is not in B2C novelty and millennial participation, but in meaningful uses and experiences, starting with the B2B sector and growing from there. Far from being a fun gadget or game, the Metaverse will be the next iteration of the World Wide Web, enabling connected interoperability and the freedom to explore new spaces and experiences through virtual reality.

Game-Changing Benefits for Hotels and Hospitality

The metaverse is set to become the next iteration of the internet, and your business metaverse will soon become as essential as your website.

With investments from tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, and Google, it’s clear that the Metaverse is here to stay. Failure to adopt and implement a metaverse strategy will result in companies lagging behind in their market, clouded by the dust of their competitors, as Web3 technology enhances online experiences and becomes an integral part of the society and the economy in all sectors.

From healthcare to automotive, major companies such as Siemens, BMW, and Shopify are already well into Metaverse implementation and reaping the business benefits of a Metaverse strategy. Hospitality must join them.

When it comes to the hospitality and event industries, the benefits that come with using Metaverse-as-a-Service are manifold and save time, money, and the planet.

For example, arranging in-person site visits with event planners takes time, administration, cleaning resources, and lighting, heating, or cooling costs. All the while, the space is unbookable and therefore earns no profit. Often site visits are rearranged to accommodate paying customers, which ultimately leads to additional headaches for everyone involved.

With a digital twin of your hotel or event space accessible through the metaverse, these issues disappear in an instant; your potential client can feel truly present in your space and interact with your staff as they would in person, via immersive VR technology, all from the comfort of their own office. The physical space can still be booked and cost effective and the event planner has saved time, money and emissions by not traveling to visit your space in person.

Additionally, the flexibility of a digital twin means that hoteliers can present venues with different layouts, lighting and even weather conditions at the touch of a button, seamlessly demonstrating the versatility of the space. When presented with an example like this, it becomes clear that digital twins and Metaverse-as-a-Service tools in hospitality are pretty much a no-brainer for businesses.

And it doesn’t stop there; digital twins for immersive training in letting go of capacity limits as virtual events become truly engaging, next-level networking opportunities with unlimited ticket sales, the business opportunity for metaverse hotels is endless, and in my opinion, it starts in B2B.

Farewell shot

There’s no mistaking it, metaverse technology is too powerful to be confined to gaming domains alone, and vital business decisions regarding metaverse strategies for global companies are already being made across all industries. It is time for hospitality to act.

Digital twins are no longer tools reserved for NASA and Apollo 13, and the deployment of Web3 technology solutions does not mean a future of soulless robotic hospitality, crying out for a human touch.

Imagine marketing your hotel in 2022 without a website. Impossible. In the not too distant future, marketing your hotel without a metaverse will be just as unthinkable.

The business benefits of the Metaverse for hotels and hospitality are obvious, so it’s time to stop playing games and get serious about the Metaverse.