NEW YORK, Sept 25 — In a move that illustrates the scope and potential of the latest virtual reality technology for the travel industry, the Marriott hotel chain has launched a ‘Teleporter’ campaign that takes the notion of armchair travel to a whole new level.

Earlier this week, ‘Teleporter’ booths were set up in front of city hall in New York aimed specifically at giving newlywed couples virtual honeymoons.

Couples were sent on instantaneous 4D trips to the black sand beaches of Maui, or on the edge of skyscraper buildings in London where they faced a breathtaking drop to the ground.

Judging by the guffaws of disoriented participants, the experience is impressively life-like, as computer-generated images are complemented by fans, heaters and scent machines to mimic the sensation of the sun’s warming rays, gentle breeze and ocean spray.

Tourists walk past entertainer Tommy West, dressed as ‘PC Long Tom’, in Parliament Square in central London on August 30, 2013. — Reuters pic

The Teleporter booth will be touring eight Marriott properties across the US until November, giving guests the chance to virtually travel to different parts of the world.

Travel experts predict that the Oculus Rift, the technology used in the Teleporter, will play a major role in the industry, acting as an experiential brochure and offering travellers a preview of their destination and experience. It’s also been used to layer a virtual fantasy world onto the heart-pumping sensations experienced during roller coaster thrill rides. — AFP/Relaxnews