Virtual Tours have been around for a long time – whether they are the traditional “Google Virtual Tours” or more sophisticated “Custom Virtual Tours“, but as time goes by, technology moves on, and new innovations and options become available.
Underwater 360° Photos and underwater 360° videos have also been used – to varying levels of success – to give non divers a “taste” of the underwater experience… Probably one of the most notable is the work undertaken by Sydney based Underwater Earth, who started in 2010 with a “simple” vision of revealing the ocean to the world.
Underwater Earth developed some very sophisticated underwater camera systems which were used to create a range of amazing underwater photos, videos and experiences… However, until fairly recently the technology required to create decent underwater footage has been prohibitively expensive and complicated for most dive shops, dive operators and dive site managers to use.
Scuba Dive Site/Location Marketing
Traditionally Dive Sites have made use of standard underwater photos and videos to show the world what they are like… Many of these photos and videos are spectacular, but they invariably provide a passive rather than interactive experience (i.e. you just sit back and watch… you don’t participate), and they don’t provide any spatial awareness – so it is generally impossible to get a sense of how a dive site is actually laid out and how each part is interrelated with others.
Underwater Virtual Tours however offer a whole lot more – so that potential divers get a real “taste” of the experience and get a sense of actually diving the site before they even set a foot in the water.
Scuba Dive Site Virtual Tours
Just some of the features available to an underwater virtual tour are :
Interactive – visitors get to actually interact with the tour rather than just passively watching it… they get to control and manage their own experience… go where they want to go and look at what they want to look at… this provides a much more emotional attachment than is possible with traditional photos/video
Depth Markers – it is possible to include markers or pointers to provide accurate depth indicators at various points throughout the dive site – making it much easier (and safer) to plan a dive.
Points of Interest – Specific items or areas of interest can be tagged, and additional information (audio, video, image, text) can be provided as a popup once and area is clicked or hovered over with the mouse
Spatial Awareness – visitors get a real sense of where they are in relation to where they have been… what is behind them… what is around the next corner.. how to get visually from one point to another
Re-use of existing content – existing photos, videos and even audio can be reused and incorporated into a virtual tour
Immersive Experience – 360 Video can be incorporated to (for example) demonstrate a descent or ascent … or a traverse from one area to another – all in glorious 360°.
Direct Links – can include Links to a Website, Online form, PDF document, or Social media to allow visitors to find out more, make a booking or subscribe.
Custom Branding / Promotion – you can incorporate your own logo, branding, colour scheme so that your business will get the credit by anyone who sees or re-uses the tour.
Site Map – can include a site map… showing the layout of location itself, or where it is in relation to other locations (or both)
Wonder Reef Virtual Tour
We have recently taken a series of underwater 360° photos and videos of Wonder Reef on the Gold Coast and have collated these into a Wonder Reef Virtual Tour… The prototype Underwater Virtual Tour below showcases just some of the capabilities and provides an Immersive, Innovative, Interactive way for potential divers to “experience” Wonder Reef and plan their dive – from the comfort of their own lounge room…without even getting their toes wet…..
View the Wonder Reef Virtual Tour.
What Does a Virtual Tour Cost?
Prices for 360° Photos or a Virtual Tour can start from as little as $120 for an Individual Photosphere (which could be published to Google Maps or embedded into a website) ranging up to many thousand of dollars for a large sophisticated and feature rich Custom Virtual Tour.
Costs will vary depending on the size and layout of the areas you’d like to include in the virtual tour… how you want it to be used,… and the features and functionality you would like to offer. If you’d like to discuss how we can help you create a Virtual Tour for your Dive Site, give Andy a call on 0403 023 223 or Contact Us.