2023-11-27
Virtual reality technologies, represented by the Metaverse, VR, and AR, have been integrated into tourism for quite some time. However, the journey of developing a cultural and tourism-oriented Metaverse has been far from smooth, often mired in uncertainties and questions. Let’s explore the reality and potential of these technologies with our guests.
Moderator: JIANG Lieyi, CEO of Future Plus Technologies (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
Panelists:
YAN Guojun, Content Director of Tencent SSV Digital Culture
LV Minghong, CEO of Flying Global Limited
QIAN Yu, Chief Researcher of Zhongguancun Intelligent Artificial Intelligence Research Institute
JIANG Yahong, Founder and CEO of Hangzhou Ustyle Technology Co., Ltd.
JIA Zhendan, Secretary-General of the Committee of Digital Metaverse of China Advertising Association
Dialogue Transcript:
Moderator: How does the integration of the metaverse with culture and tourism bring value?
LV Minghong: The Metaverse concept is about creating new possibilities in time and space. With technological advancements, it could forge a new tourism environment. Our immersive flight cinema is one such attempt. We’re excited about potential collaborations with Tencent on projects like the Digital Great Wall, offering new experiences beyond smart phone or VR device, like virtually flying over the Great Wall or touring the entire central axis.
QIAN Yu: Since 2015, I’ve observed the VR/AR industry’s evolution to the metaverse. Its core lies in two aspects: transitioning from virtual to reality and content-driven experiences. The metaverse should offer effects unattainable in physical settings, not just replace them. My experience with the Dunhuang Mogao Caves in the metaverse, where murals seemed to come alive, is something even a physical visit can’t match. Thus, the key in merging the metaverse with culture and tourism is not mere replication of offline content but creating unique, high-quality experiences.
JIANG Yahong: The metaverse aims for real interactions in virtual spaces, enabling immersive communication even when people aren’t physically together. This requires digital avatars, VR/AR glasses, and 3D digital spaces. Wearing these glasses, digital avatars can synchronize our eye movements, gestures, and expressions, simulating face-to-face interactions. Although still in its infancy – with products like Apple’s glasses yet to launch and realistic digital humans still emerging – the metaverse is undoubtedly the future. Its application in culture and tourism is being explored, promising experiences beyond videos and photos.
JIA Zhendan: The metaverse’s initial goal is to facilitate real interactions in virtual spaces, creating more opportunities for existence. It can provide scenes we can’t see in reality and serve as a medium for interpretating and understanding realities. Our aim is to establish a co-creative platform, allowing everyone to engage with the core of Web3 – readable, writable, and even ownable assets. In the digital economy era, data and digital assets in cultural tourism can be traded, with everyone having access to and usage rights over these assets.
YAN Guojun: As an internet tech company, we aim for technological breakthroughs and interdisciplinary research across industries. The Metaverse has attracted numerous tech firms, from internet giants to innovative startups. In cultural tourism, we focus on scenarios, aiming to better apply our technological capabilities. With technological support, high-quality content is key to presenting new experiences and breakthroughs in tourism scenarios.
Moderator: How can the Metaverse, through a blend of technologies, better aid in innovating cultural tourism products?
QIAN Yu: The technology underpinning the disruptive experience of the Metaverse is yet to arrive, possibly maturing around 2030 or 2050. The current challenge lies in creating acceptable experiences with existing technologies. Content quality is crucial; even with imperfect technology, good content can provide a positive experience. Devices that blend virtual and real elements are also vital. For example, I experienced a large-space VR device that offered a multisensory experience with minimal technology. I believe we should be driven by content, with a focus on user needs and experiences.
JIANG Yahong: Our Youlian 3D Cloud Array Camera enables the rapid, low-cost production of digital humans, paving the way for immersive experiences in the Metaverse. We’ve applied this technology in tourist spots like Xiangshan in Ningbo and plan to introduce it in Hangzhou’s West Lake and Shanghai Disney. For instance, we created a digital Su Dongpo, the great scholar in Song Dynasty, guiding tourists around West Lake and composing poetry for them. We also create digital avatars for tourists, generating videos linked to the scene’s IP. Despite significant strides in the Metaverse direction, there’s still a long way to go.
Moderator: How can we seamlessly integrate online and offline elements to provide truly innovative products for the cultural tourism industry?
LV Minghong: High-quality content and technology are key to delivering superior experiences. Take the Forbidden City as an example. Its limited daily tickets prevent many from visiting. Technologies like VR can allow people to experience the Forbidden City from home. Another example is Van Gogh’s paintings, brought to life through large screens. Thus, content is central, and the form of the tech is only a means to realize the content experience. Combining high-tech methods with content can enhance consumer experiences.
YAN Guojun: Digitalization and the Metaverse offer new ways to experience tourism. Even when we can’t physically visit every famous site, digital technology allows for deep online experiences, immersing in foreign cultures and heritages. For example, Shanghai’s digital immersive exhibition “Horizon of Khufu” uses high-fidelity pyramid recreations for an authentic experience. Digital technology also brings world cultural treasures to people in remote and underdeveloped areas. Overall, the Metaverse creates new scenarios and pathways for the tourism industry.
Moderator: With many market-tested products in the metaverse, can we transplant them overseas sustainably as a form of cultural export?
JIA Zhendan: Absolutely. Another company, STEPVR, operated by us focuses on digital cultural experiences. We opened the first Sanxingdui virtual experience hall in Beijing, immersing visitors in the charm of Sanxingdui. Future plans include virtual experience halls for Dunhuang, the Terracotta Army, and even the sci-fi blockbuster “The Wandering Earth”. We believe in sharing cultural values globally, not just exporting them. We’re accumulating data and digital assets for future generations, enriching heritage. We’re also collaborating with the Tiananmen Management Committee to create a digital educational Metaverse on Tiananmen’s red history, aiming to closely integrate with digital red education nationwide and advance the digitization of red history.
Moderator: To conclude, could you each briefly summarize your advice for the application of the Metaverse in the culture and tourism industry?
JIA Zhendan: We aspire to share our values through cultural output and global co-creation, reflecting a spirit of universal harmony. We look forward to more experts, scholars, and technicians better carrying and developing these contents and finding use in technical application. By leveraging digital asset circulation through Web 3.0, we aim to share our digital asset value with everyone worldwide, marking a crucial step in realizing a connected digital economy.
JIANG Yahong: The widespread adoption of Metaverse in cultural tourism is a future trend, mainly thanks to technological evolution and exploration of commercial applications. For the cultural tourism industry, embracing this trend is necessary, or we risk being left behind. Although the field may seem unclear initially, those who fail to embrace it will miss out once it hits a certain progress.
QIAN Yu: User needs and high-quality content are central. Technologies, such as AIGC, should be tools for content realization, rather than stand as the end goal. Combining virtual and real elements and keeping up with the latest technologies are also crucial. Such a philosophy can help us better serve users and create more valuable products.
LV Minghong: To move quickly and effectively, we need to form an ecosystem where talents from all fields unite, regardless of size of the institution. For instance, companies like Apple, NVIDIA, and Pixar in the U.S. are already forming ecosystems with smaller industries. I believe that in China, whether under the leadership of the World Tourism Alliance or in other aspects, if we can truly form horizontal or vertical collaborations, it will be a positive driving force for the entire industry, both for users and industry participants.
YAN Guojun: “Constant mindfulness yields results”. This saying is particularly apt in our industry, as we have gathered many talents who have found their breakthroughs in this field. In any industry, technological leadership is meant to better serve real-world scenarios. Thus, only in actual scenarios can our real users, whether in culture and tourism or other industries, truly feel the power of technology. We hope to attract more interdisciplinary tech companies to join us in providing more scenario applications for the latest tourism experiences. I believe that in this process, many exciting scenarios will emerge, better interpreting the five thousand years of Chinese human civilization.