Augmented reality (AR) technology is versatile enough that it can be used for a great many applications, both for business and for entertainment. Niantic Labs is already well known for it’s AR titles including Ingress and Pokémon Go, and it’ll be using this expertise to help the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) enhance global tourism.
Through the use of Niantic’s real-world videogames the company will create a series of unique campaigns with the aim to encourage exploration and build awareness of destinations around the world.
“Our goal at Niantic is to create interactive games that encourage exercise, social interaction, and exploration, giving players the opportunity to play together in the real world and discover the incredible history hidden right in their own neighborhoods,” said Anne Beuttenmüller, Head of Marketing EMEA in a statement. “We’re looking forward to creating brand new adventures for our players in collaboration with UNWTO to increase awareness around their mission of responsible tourism.”
This is all part of UNWTO’s Travel.Enjoy.Respect campaign which is focused on sustainable tourism. As such Niantic and UNWTO will work together to combine tourism and AT technology through a series of targeted activations.
“With our ongoing commitment to promote sustainable and responsible tourism, and Niantic having recently become a UNWTO Affiliate Member, this partnership is a natural fit,” said Ion Vilcu, Director of UNWTO’s Affiliate Members Department. “Niantic are pioneers in creating real-world mobile game experiences that not only motivate their players to discover new places, but also to appreciate the culture and beauty of the world around them.”
What these ‘brand new adventures’ will be hasn’t yet been revealed, and whether they’ll tie-in to Niantic Labs’ current crop of AR titles. Earlier this month the studio launched Ingress Prime, a reworked and improved version of its original AR title Ingress.
As further details on Niantic Labs and UNWTO’s collaboration are released, VRFocus will keep you updated.
via Mint VR