These Remote Islands Are Using Gaming Tech to Make Remote Tourism Livelier

For a country that mounted cameras on sheep to capture ‘street views’, it is not surprising that the tiny Faroe Islands have come up with a new idea to promote their beautiful landscapes even during the worldwide lockdown. Part of Denmark, this archipelago of 18 volcanic islands strung in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, lies roughly between Iceland and Norway. The islands are well-known for their scenic beauty and wildlife.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Visit Faroe Islands (@visitfaroeislands) on Jan 15, 2020 at 10:00am PST

They've not only introduced a live virtual tour of the islands but also, inspired by the gaming world, added a feature through which viewers can control the moves of the camera-toting person.

According to their new tourism campaign, you can actually control the virtual tour just like a real-life computer game. "You—the main player—will control the moves of the Faroese islander, who will not only explore locations on foot, but also take to the skies by helicopter, giving virtual visitors a bird’s eye perspective on our beautiful island nation’s steep grassy slopes, our 80,000 sheep and our unspoilt, wild and natural countryside,” says a post on their website.

However, you may have to stand in a virtual queue for your turn. The website also mentions that each trip lasts for at least an hour and people can take turns to be the controller for a minute each.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Visit Faroe Islands (@visitfaroeislands) on Mar 16, 2020 at 11:10am PDT

Select Faroese islanders have been equipped with a video camera that will stream live as the islander travels on foot, horseback, by boat or even helicopter, taking viewers across the islands’ many attractions. The viewers will ‘not only see views from an on-the-spot perspective, but also control where and how they explore using a joypad to turn, walk, run or even jump’.

The release also said that a team at ‘Visit Faroe Islands’ will be online in real time to answer any questions that viewers may have about the places to visit and things to see here.

For now, the virtual tours will be held once or twice daily until April 25.