Copyright © 2018 Authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7 (2.21) (2018) 156-160 International Journal of Engineering & Technology Website: www.sciencepubco.com/index.php/IJET Research paper Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR) technologies for tourism and hospitality industry Anand Nayyar 1* , Bandana Mahapatra 2 , DacNhuong Le 3 , G. Suseendran 4 1 Graduate School, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam. 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SOA University, Bhubneshwar. 3 Deputy-Head of Faculty of Information Technology, Haiphong University, Vietnam. 4 Assistant Professor, Department of Information Technology, School of Computing Sciences, VELS Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies (VISTAS), Chennai. *Corresponding author E-mail: anandnayyar@duytan.edu.vn Abstract Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, these days, is offering many useful applications that is attracting greater attention from tourism researchers and professionals. As, AR and VR technologies are evolving, the number of scientific applications is also at increase. VR and AR are proving their worth especially when planning, marketing, education, tourist sport preservation coming to light. The aim of this research paper is to highlight top technologies for Tourism and Hospitality with regard to AR and VR. Keywords: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Virtual Environment, Display Technologies, VR & AR Sensors. 1. Introduction Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are regarded as the most world-changing technologies of 21 st Century. By stimulating our senses with computer generated images, they are able to immerse our minds in the experience which temporarily accepts VR/AR as another real version of reality [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. VR and AR are used to create powerful 3D interactive visual experiences for all kinds of purposes. At the International Tourismus-Börse 2017 (Europe), several tourism technology providers demonstrated VR/AR content, showcasing tourist destinations and attractions on location. These generations of types of companies typically produce content in assignment from destination providers, attraction providers and hospitality providers, and some offer a Content Management System (CMS) to travel agencies that they may use to develop their own immersive VR experiences to their clients. VR is considered to a promising technology for the Hospitality and Tourism industry that has the powerful effect of fooling the senses into believing one is present in a virtual world, by providing interactive 3D surroundings simulated by a computer. These simulations, can depict any tourist location or attraction reproduced as 3D imagery, controlled by powerful computers creating a complete Virtual Environment (VE). VE is simply a virtual digital environment generated that makes the user with VR equipment feels as if he/she is present inside it. A complete VR System is regarded as the interface between the real world user and the VE. According to a report published in May 2017,(Grand View Research, Inc)., the VR industry is expected to reach USD 692 billion by 2025 and the concept can potentially expand from basic gaming to other applications like Education, Medicine and Healthcare, Architecture, Sports, TV Programs, Movies and Music and many more [6]. VR is gaining forefront attention in 2017 as various companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, HTC and many others, have come up with their own designs of VR Head- Mounted Displays (HMDs). AR is an integration of the real world and the virtual world, with the aim of providing additional information about something in the real world with information displayed in the virtual world. For instance a person could look at a painting or a machine in the real world, hold up their smartphone or tablet in front of the painting or machine, and see on the screen the painting or machine with additional useful information, thus augmenting reality. In the case of the painting, the additional information could be about the painter and the painting technique and the painter’s life for instance. Where as, in case of the machine, the additional information could be about how to open the machine and replace a broken part. AR technology is also capable of revolutionizing the tourist experience by making possible the planning, previewing and accessing location-based information of the holiday journey and destinations, in an interactive, and simple manner, from various places. Users can preview and book their hotel, access information while they are there, navigate around their destination, translate written, spoken signs or conversations, locating dining and entertainment options. It can all be done simply through an app on a mobile device. In 2009 the first AR smartphone apps came out, using AR technology to add a layer of guidance, content and entertainment to physical locations seen through the smartphone’s camera view. Tuscany+ was the first app built specifically for tourism - an “interactive, real-time guide” - intending to enhance the visitor experience (Figure 1). The AR technology made it possible to layer the digital enhancements over an existing reality or real-life scenario.