5G connectivity is already a reality and it has come to stay. The implementation of the fifth-generation mobile network will change the way we communicate, multiply the capacity of the information highways and allow everyday objects to connect with us and with each other in real-time. Thanks to 5G, we will be able to navigate 10 times faster. Furthermore, latency (the response time of the network) could be reduced to 5 milliseconds, which will allow us to connect practically in real-time. We can also exponentially increase the number of connected devices: vehicles, industrial robots or urban furniture will be able to connect and share information in real-time.

Thanks to the characteristics of 5G connectivity, technologies such as virtual and augmented reality will acquire even greater relevance. With VR and AR, there will no longer be geographic barriers; anyone can watch a football game or attend a concert from their sofa, feeling that they are in the stadium. A true revolution that will also mark a before and after in the tourism sector.

The fully implemented 5G network will contribute not only to generalize the use of virtual reality applications, 360º video or augmented reality, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, etc., but also to evolve to the next level so that we begin to configure immersive tourism.

Immersive tourism is one that places the user as the protagonist of the tourism experience, using technologies that amplify their participation and improve their interaction with a product, service or tourist destination. An example is special glasses that, by pointing to a historic building, various options are displayed in front of the user’s eyes, such as booking a visit, watching a video or reading a historical note. An example of extensive reality, which would be the union between virtual and augmented reality.

Another case tested in Barcelona is a vehicle that, while moving around the city, offers content to tourists through the window itself so that they can also function as tourist guides.

Thus, with the arrival of 5G, tourism does not necessarily have to be face-to-face. In this way, a person who wants to visit another city through virtual reality will not only be able to enjoy the stimulation of their senses but will also be able to interact with the place.

New tourist experiences that will transform tourism as we know it today and that will offer a unique traveller experience. Discover all these technologies for the tourism sector at TIS – Tourism Innovation Summit, from November 10 to 12, 2021.