TORONTO — The Dominican Republic has taken a big leap forward into the realm of experiential marketing with the launch of six new virtual reality experiences that showcase the country’s breathtaking beauty.

Currently available to travel agents via the Explor VR platform, the new campaign includes six unique island experiences: an overview of the entire island; the culture of Santo Domingo; the Cascade el Limon waterfall in Samana; the beach of Las Terrenas; golfing in Punta Cana; and kitesurfing in Cabarete. All six experiences have been captured in full 360-degree video and are available to use with virtual reality headsets.

“Virtual reality is a totally essential new tool to promote our destination and we consider it to be the brochure of the future!” says Abdalah Castillo, Chairman, Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic. “It is a great addition to our campaign because you can be fully immersed in our destination, giving you a vivid experience of the island, even without actually being there.”

Virtual reality has gained traction in the travel industry as an exciting new way for suppliers to showcase their products and destinations, and for travel agents to sell to their clients. As a more engaging and immersive alternative to traditional brochures, VR has been well received across the board, something that has not gone unnoticed by the Ministry.

“In today’s world, it is essential to be following the latest technological trends, especially those that can help increase sales,” adds Castillo. “We will continue to invest in the technology, push new boundaries and do whatever it takes to be on the cutting edge of marketing.”

The Dominican Republic virtual reality experiences are available to agents to showcase the destination to their clients through the Explor VR website and app. For the full VR experience, download the app at Google Play or the App Store and purchase a headset (available at xplrvr.com/headsets). Alternatively, agents can visit the Explor VR website to view the tours in 360 degrees on their computers, tablets or mobile screens.

The website also has all the training agents need to get up and running with the technology, as well as marketing directives about the Dominican Republic that agents can highlight on social media, through email and website channels.

For more information visit explorvr.com/.