Kastoria Uses Virtual Reality to Enhance Tourist Experience

Photo source: Municipality of Kastoria

The Municipality of Kastoria, in the region of Western Macedonia, northern Greece, is modernizing its communication strategy by using virtual reality (VR) to boost tourism and showcase its rich cultural heritage.

Aiming to create new experiences for residents and visitors, Kastoria’s local authorities have added modern VR equipment in the city’s tourism info booth to promote the area’s history and culture.

With the new VR equipment, visitors can embark on a unique virtual tour of the city’s sights and natural landscapes, as well as those of the surrounding area.

“Captured with incredible detail and realism, these immersive virtual tours will inspire users to explore and experience in real life everything they have seen through VR,” according to an announcement by the municipality.

Visitors to the pavilion can learn about the region’s history and culture through a 360-angle video available in both Greek and English.

The video, produced using drones and 360-angle cameras, underwent special processing for VR.

Photo source: Municipality of Kastoria

Among the municipality’s partners for the project was the Laboratory of Digital Media and Strategic Communication of the Department of Communication and Digital Media (University of Western Macedonia) and the Environmental Education Center (E.E.C.) of Kastoria.

Kastoria’s tourism info booth is open daily from 10am to 6pm and the use of the VR equipment is free for all visitors.