Eurostar recently introduced an onboard virtual reality experience for train passengers called 'Odyssey,' which will take guests deep undersea on a journey while they are transported to a real-life destination.
The "underwater train" experience is currently being offered by Eurostar trains traveling between London and Paris, Lille or Brussels. One's voyage begins in the Oceanarium, a land that's rich with sea creatures to identify and collect in one's "explorer's log." On their journey, passengers will be guided by Rose and Benoit and meet characters like mermaids and an octopus named Esther.
To begin their undersea experience, travelers are invited to assemble a simple headset and use their own smartphone to dive deep into the imaginative underwater world of the Channel.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Virtual Reality Experiences
- The introduction of onboard virtual reality experiences, like Eurostar's 'Odyssey,' presents opportunities for immersive entertainment and storytelling in various industries.
- Underwater-themed Attractions
- The rise of 'underwater train' experiences signifies demand for unique attractions that transport participants to underwater worlds, offering opportunities for theme parks, museums, and entertainment venues.
- Augmented Travel Experiences
- The integration of augmented reality technology, as seen in Eurostar's 'Odyssey,' highlights the potential for enhancing travel experiences and providing interactive content for the tourism industry.
Where This Applies
- Transportation
- The concept of underwater train voyages presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the transportation industry, such as incorporating virtual reality entertainment options to enhance passengers' travel experiences.
- Entertainment
- The emergence of underwater-themed attractions, inspired by experiences like Eurostar's 'Odyssey,' opens up new avenues for the entertainment industry to create immersive and interactive experiences for audiences.
- Tourism
- The use of augmented reality technology, as demonstrated by Eurostar's 'Odyssey,' offers disruptive innovation opportunities for the tourism industry by providing visitors with interactive and educational travel experiences.
