Last week, HomeAway announced its release of virtual tours for vacation rentals listed on HomeAway and VRBO. Currently being piloted in select markets, the tour simulates walking through a property with 360° images throughout the interior and exterior. The feature works with tours filmed on personal phones and cameras to professionally captured footage from companies like InsideMaps and TruPlace.
“The barriers to entry for virtual technology have never been lower,” said Ben James, senior product manager for HomeAway, said in a release. “Customers are hungry for this technology because research shows that properties with virtual tours generate more revenue. Given that each one of our vacation rentals is unique, being able to walk through a property before you book helps travelers make informed decisions.”
A recording of a virtual tour on VRBO.com.
TruPlace is embracing 3D technology, said Suzi Cusack, vice president for TruPlace. “We recently launched our TruFusion 3D Tour which utilizes DSLR cameras to meet the demands for higher quality images in virtual tours which translates into revenue for property managers,” she said. The company is building an API to integrate 3D images into HomeAway’s virtual tour.
A HomeAway representative said the company is rolling out the feature in several local markets in Florida, Hawaii, California, Texas, Colorado, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Maryland. Virtual tours will be released to global markets in 2019.
Alexa Nota is the Vice President of VRM Intel. She comes from a 10-year marketing and journalism background in travel, including three years as a vacation rental marketing manager in NC’s Outer Banks. She is also the co-founder and editor of a travel wellness magazine and the marketing consultant and founder of Canary Design. She currently calls Chapel Hill, NC home.
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