Metatourism: October News, Trends & Events
MTA, Gatherverse, Lufthansa Insights and Web3 Travel
Welcome MetaTourists,
We are delighted to bring you the latest news from the MTA and give you insights into some of the travel technology trends we are seeing today. As always, thank you being here as we navigate the hybrid future of tourism together.
This month we spoke at the Gatherverse Virtual Summit where we explored how to enhance culture in virtual worlds. The conversation explored how culture manifests, evolves, and is preserved in virtual worlds. These digital spaces reflect real-world influences through shared experiences, user interactions, and community-driven content. We know that the design of virtual spaces is shaped by cultural norms, and creators must ensure cultural sensitivity to avoid appropriation. Virtual environments also allow for creative expression and the formation of new, hybrid identities, though challenges remain in maintaining the context and significance of traditional cultural elements. Future trends, including AI and blockchain technologies, could further transform how culture is experienced and shared in these environments.
Watch all of the conversations from the Virtual World Summit here:
Member announcement
In fantastic news for founding member Dtravel, a blockchain-based vacation rental platform, they are integrating its AI-powered vacation rental discovery agent into Fetch.ai’s marketplace. This partnership allows developers to access and integrate DtravelAI into their apps, or bundle it with other AI agents for a seamless, end-to-end travel experience. As the first travel company to join the Fetch.ai Foundation, Dtravel is leading efforts to merge AI and blockchain, creating personalized, decentralized travel solutions. This collaboration promises to revolutionize the travel industry by putting more control in the hands of travelers, while ensuring ethical AI development and data use.
We had some great conversations this month with spatial technology providers, metaverse enthusiasts and event managers. This is only the beginning of how we redefine the future of online experiences and entertainment. Moving from the attention economy to the immersive economy has begun and it will be important for all businesses in the tourism sector to understand the opportunities.
IN THE NEWS
5 AI tools to explore and enjoy your vacation
Unveiling the Metaverse: The Pillars Shaping Our Digital Future
Meet the new face of German Tourism - The AI Travel Influencer named Emma
The Best Metaverse Experiences yet to come
Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island heads to the Metaverse
Dtravel Vacation Rental AI Agent Partners with Fetch Marketplace
MTA Business Directory
At the MTA we are in the process of developing our business directory of Metaverse service providers, virtual tourism suppliers and all businesses working in the Web3 travel space. The directory will be offered to all members and act as a go-to resource for travel professionals and organisations interested in exploring or creating the future of travel. Please get in touch via email to metaversetourismassociation@gmail.com with a brief bio of your company and we will add you to the directory.
UPCOMING EVENTS
29 – 30 Oct AWE EU 2024 (Vienna, Austria) -
20 - 21 November Slush Founders Summit - Register here
4 - 6 Dec Immersive Tech Week - Rotterdam
RECOMMENDED READS
EU Competitiveness Report - “The key driver of the rising productivity gap between the EU and the US has been digital technology (“tech”) – and Europe currently looks set to fall further behind. The main reason EU productivity diverged from the US in the mid-1990s was Europe’s failure to capitalise on the first digital revolution led by the internet – both in terms of generating new tech companies and diffusing digital tech into the economy.”
METAVERSE & WEB3 TRAVEL JOBS
Decentraland - Part-time partnerships co-ordinator
Ready Player Me - 3D Software Engineer
JOIN US
At the MTA we believe in the hybrid future of tourism and want to help carve out what that may look like. We welcome all who are interested in the business of travel to join us at the MTA and work together to ignite, inform and inspire the hybrid future of travel. The MTA is committed to exploring and developing a greater understanding of the potential that advanced technologies offer when creating new tourism business models and enhancing existing travel services.
Feel free to share your Metaverse or Travel news. We love to hear from members and people thinking about the future of travel.