THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Experience an exhilarating houseboat ride through the backwaters of Kerala...from an airport! Strange as it may sound, people will be able to do exactly that, thanks to virtual reality, which the Kerala Tourism is providing through its ‘The Great Backwater Experience’ zone. The zone would be rolled out at departure terminals of airports in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. It allows passengers, waiting to catch their flights, get an iconic Kerala experience via special interactive stalls in the zone. It is a part of the tourism department’s ‘Out of Home’ marketing campaign to promote Brand Kerala and is targeted at high net worth individuals in the domestic market.
One such zone is up and functional at terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. It allows visitors to feel the experience of sitting in a ‘kettuvellam’, the traditional Kerala houseboat, as it floats on the tranquil backwaters of the state.
The task of transporting people waiting at airports to the houseboats has been achieved via a two-minute film, shot in 360 degree technology utilising six cameras simultaneously. It can be viewed after donning an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.