VRBO MATTERPORT 3D

If seeing is believing, then setting up your vacation rental for vacationers is easy. Our Matterport 3D Virtual Tour technology is now being deployed by the major vacation rental sites and promises a more immersive view of a property before a renter pushes the “buy” button.

A virtual tour is a simulation made up of a sequence of videos or still images. And while the technology isn’t new, the application is.

“While virtual tour technology is not new to real estate and home buying, the travel and vacation rental industry is just starting to scratch the surface,” says Jake Stewart, a senior product manager of virtual tours at Vrbo.

VRBO partners with companies like Pinnacle Real Estate Marketing to help homeowners and property managers create virtual tours for their property listings. “Being able to virtually walk through your property before booking allows travelers to make more informed decisions,” it promises homeowners.

What is a virtual tour of a vacation rental?

Think of a virtual tour as a 360-degree and immersive view of a vacation home. Unlike videos, virtual tours let you virtually walk through a property at your own pace and explore every corner of the vacation home. By doing this you will get a much better understanding of the home’s features, amenities, layout, and other details that inform your booking decision.

“We’ve found virtual tours are especially valuable for guests with accessibility concerns,” says TurnKey co-founder and CEO John Banczak. “If they’re traveling with someone who has difficulty with stairs or is looking for a particular home layout, the virtual tour will help them determine if a home meets their travel needs. Ultimately, we want our guests to know that what they see in our listings is what they’ll experience in the home.”

“While photos and property descriptions are incredibly helpful in describing a property, they don’t show every detail and corner, which travelers want when they’re deciding where to stay on vacation,” explains Vrbo’s Stewart. “Depending on a traveler’s needs, they may want to know how far the restroom is from the bedroom or get a better sense of the view from the backyard pool.”

VRBO concluded that virtual tours are far more immersive than static 2D photos. They help travelers explore the entire home and get a better sense of the layout. The tours allow potential renters to imagine themselves in the physical space of the property, boosting their trust and giving them the confidence to book a property, according to VRBO.

Property listings with a virtual tour have a distinct badge of a house on the upper left hand corner of the listing in the search view, making it easier for a traveler to determine if a listing has a virtual tour without clicking into the listing itself.