Best Western Hotels & Resorts is moving forward with the rollout of its the Best Western Virtual Reality Experience (BWVRE), which offers guests 360-degree views of guest rooms, hotel lobbies and amenities prior to arriving at a property.
For the past three years, Best Western has partnered with Google Street View to gather 1.7 million photos of its 2,200 North American hotels. Using Street View technology, along with narration and music, BWVRE creates an engaging, story-telling experience. By summer of 2016, every Best Western branded hotel in North America will have implemented the BWVRE.
“Walking into a lobby or guest room leaves an indelible impression on what kind of experience will follow, but photos aren’t enough,” said Dorothy Dowling, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “The Best Western Virtual Reality Experience transports consumers into our hotels and a customizable narration will guide them through the experience.”
BWVRE videos are being developed in 8K resolution, the current highest definition video available and will be available on platforms supported by HTML5, including Google Maps, Google Search, YouTube and Facebook. The technology allows for the broadest distribution of video assets and gives Best Western the ability to enhance the experience over time.