It was a sunny day. Sophie and her parents decided to go boating in the park. Sophie was amazed by the calm lake in front of her when she reached the lake. It was so still that it reflected (映出) the clouds above like a mirror. But when Sophie walked excitedly to the shore of the lake, she saw small waves spread out. After a while, the lake became calm again, and the perfect reflection of the clouds returned.

Feeling adventurous, Sophie wanted to discover more about the lake. Her dad saw how excited she was and gave her a life jacket to put on. After they were both ready, they got into a boat to explore the quiet waters. The boatman (船夫) gave her a paddle (船桨) and showed her how to use it. At first, Sophie wasn’t good at using the paddle, but with the help of the boatman, she quickly mastered the technique of rowing.

As they moved further into the lake, they passed over some green and heart-shaped leaves floating on the water. Yellow flowers stood out among the leaves, shining in the sunlight. It looked like something from a beautiful painting.

Then, as they left the area with the flowers behind, a butterfly landed on Sophie’s paddle. “Hi, how beautiful,” she said before it flew away. Sophie tried to paddle softly. “Let’s stay close to the shore,” her dad suggested.

Sophie was excited when she saw a turtle (龟) swimming near them. It had short legs and red and yellow on its neck. “Hi, I’m Sophie. What’s your name? You’ve got four paddles. We only have two,” she told the turtle. She wanted to get a better look, but the turtle swam away. “Was I too loud, Dad? Do you think it’ll come back?” she asked. Her dad just smiled and nodded.

The lake had more surprises waiting for them.

Just then Sophie’s mother waved from the shore and called them back.

Is “Virtual Reality Tourism” About to Take Off?

For many people, a trip to German’s fairytale-like Neuschwansein castle, or the pristine waters of the Maldives are a bucket list ambition. Plans for these and other international trips were brought to a sudden stop by the COVID-19 pandemic. Around the world, once-crowded sights largely at a standstill, with hotels empty and not a tourist in sight.

It’s predicted that travel will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024. In the absence of travellers, hotels and destinations have turned to virtual reality(VR) to keep would-be-visitors interested and prepare for the long road to recovery.

Faced with a new reality of depressed tourism, many believe that VR can stimulate a potential audience’s appetite. The further this pandemic goes on for, the higher the chance that VR may become an effective form of alternative travel as consumers get more used to this technology. In this environment, a number of countries have stepped up VR marketing efforts to prepare for the gradual recovery of their tourism industries. Among the most noticeable is Germany, which has unveiled a number of immersive projects to highlight the country’s potential as a travel destination. VR also helps to boost travellers’ confidence. As restrictions ease in the not-so-distant future, VR will be a vital tool in helping familiarize travellers with a new environment and help slowly rebuild consumer confidence. “As we start to recover, there will be some people that will be willing to travel like crazy. Younger people will be booking flights as soon as possible,” says Mr Flecha, a travel and hospitality expert for the multinational consulting firm Accenture.

We know technology is already changing how we travel, and its applications are essential elements in keeping interest in tourist spots alive during travel restrictions, getting potential customers excited about the products and providing inspiration for real world travel. Some, however, believe digital applications cannot, and are not intended to, replace the experience of real-world travel.