Ziptrek Ecotours brings Queenstown to tourists through virtual reality

Ziptrek Ecotours, New Zealand's award-winning tourism zipline provider will be using virtual reality to showcase Queenstown's beauty to potential tourists at New Zealand's largest tourism expo, Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand (TRENZ). Using innovative HD cameras and 360° rotational views, the virtual reality tour takes users on a tour across the trees and showcases the city's stunning scenery. The inclusion of virtual reality headsets allows tourists to experience the sights without having to make an effort or guess what Ziptrek's tours are like, which puts Ziptrek at an advantage over many other tourism providers in the Queenstown region. Samsung VR headsets are the virtual reality weapons of choice, providing rich experiences and portability so they can be transported worldwide to enthral local markets. This technology puts New Zealand ecotourism on an innovative and international scale, and a growing interest in the area has made this possible - particularly in growth markets such as Singapore, India and China.  The virtual reality project was originally developed for Mandarin speakers but has since been customised for French and Spanish speakers. Ziptrek also offers STQRY, an app that allows tourists to listen to commentary as they take a zip tour across Queenstown. Ziptrek's marketing efforts are clearly working, with bookings up 35% over the summer following a strong spring season. At 6 years old, the company is young and looks set to grow rapidly alongside technological developments in tourism. Ziptrek Ecotours also won the Environmental Tourism Award at the NZ Tourism Industry Awards in 2015.