The Internet reinvents Geography
“Where did you go on vacation this summer?”
“I went to a Star Wars Galaxy, and I am planning to visit the Dark Age of Camelot for Thanksgiving”.
The Digital Traveler
Can you believe this conversation actually happened?
Exotic beaches, famous cities, and relaxing mountain get aways are out of fashion. The new trend is called “virtual travel”. An experience designed for people who think out-of-the-box, and for travelers who are looking further.
They are called “virtual tour operators”, and they are the new frontier when it comes to travel agencies. You won’t find a package for a hectic weekend in Vegas, nor a romantic trip to Europe. These tour operators only offer virtual destinations – and real prices! – targeted to Internet experts as well as newcomers who want to know new lands, explore “synthetic grounds”, and ravish their imagination.
How does it work?
In the e-commerce era, when bricks-and-mortar stores smell of the past, everything is made online. You can browse the catalogue, choose your desired destination, and book the day and time you wish to start your virtual vacation. The software will automatically install on your computer and eventually, on the designated day, you will start the tour. Designed for those who are extremely passionate about cyberspace and for those who just want to test the water before starting a Second Life experience, these tour operators will send you to places like Albatross18, City of Heroes, Entropia Universe, and The Matrix Online. Be prepared to explore the invisible geography of cyberspace, visit fantasy regions or prehistoric architectures, meet with charming women and violent warriors. Each travel lasts about an hour, and you don’t need to prepare your suitcase!
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- The Digital Traveler
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- Entropia Universe
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- Final Fantasy
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- Guild Wars
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- Rome, Parioli (in Second Life)
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- The beach in Second Life
How did all this start?
We talked to Mario Gerosa, journalist, former senior editor of Condé Nast Traveller Italy and founder of Synthravels.com, the first and foremost tour operator that organizes exclusive travels to virtual destinations. “I founded Synthravels.com a few years ago”, Gerosa explains. “There has been a boom about virtual worlds, however, many of them request specific skills to be visited and you will end up spending countless hours in front of your monitor. We offer a complete guide service to all the people who want to make a tour in virtual realities and learn quickly”.
Everything is related to the growth of the Internet, virtual realities, and online media.
Nerds and scientists are not the only ones interested in virtual traveling. “Actually we don’t have a target client”, Gerosa says, “some people are more interested in Second Life, and others want to explore the landscapes of World of Warcraft”.
More than just gaming, then.
Virtual traveling fades the lines between real life and virtual reality, and promotes the authentic democratic nature of the World Wide Web: everything for everyone.
