Qatar Airways announced Tuesday that it had launched its first metaverse experience, QVerse. This virtual reality platform allows interested parties can virtually visit and navigate the Premium Check-in area at the International Airport of Hamad (HIA).
According to the company's statements to Cointelegraph however, QVerse is merely the company's first foray into the metaverse. The company said that it intends to expand its virtual environment initiatives and believes that the metaverse is part of the future of human relations.
“We believe that the future is virtual. The metaverse will empower human beings, expand their horizons and break their limits by challenging the most basic methods that were once limitations.”
Have you got your ticket to the #QatarAirways #QVerse? pic.twitter.com/CNtePu8YgE
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) April 19, 2022
According to the company, its entry into the metaverse reflects its passengers desire for “immersive content that can empower their decision-making before buying a ticket, and are often eager to discover the aircraft they will fly.”
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“That's why we believe QVerse will change the way passengers make their shopping choices,” company representatives stated.
The company also highlighted that it plans to add more functionalities, places and interactions to its metaverse platform, and aims to make the experience sociable and accessible through the Oculus Quest VR platform.
It also intends to include the purchase of tickets for physical flights and the choice of seats on real aircraft through the metaverse. The company noted that actions in metaverse gateways like Decentraland and The Sandbox may occur in the future.
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“We are currently focusing on creating our metaverse rather than investing in Decentraland or Sandbox. But we do not rule out this plan. We continue to explore how we can develop this area and strategically incorporate NFTs into QVerse.”
Last year Qatar Airways became the first airline in the Middle East to adopt the IATA Blockchain 'Digital Passport', in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Recently, the US Air Force also announced its entry into the metaverse and filed a trademark application for an initiative called SpaceVerse. While details of the order and what the SpaceVerse are scarce, the order highlights that this will be a virtual reality training, testing and operations environment for the US defense agency.