Tourism body Visit Wales hopes the new initiative will attract those visiting the “virtual Wales” to also visit the country in the real world in future.
By Tomos Evans, Wales reporter @TomosGruffydd
Wales has become the first UK nation to join the metaverse.
The launch of Wales in the metaverse hopes to give virtual visitors from all over the world the chance to see what the country has to offer.
Tourism body Visit Wales has created the immersive experience with the aim of platforming some of Wales’s experiences and attractions.
Around 600 million people visit the metaverse each year, across a number of platforms.
The Welsh metaverse is being hosted on platform Spatial.
Organisers say they believe Wales is also the first European nation to use this approach to market itself as a tourism destination.
The announcement comes after a report by a committee of MPs published last July found Wales “lacked a coherent brand” to attract overseas visitors.
Presenter of Doctor Who Unleashed and former gaming journalist Steffan Powell attended the launch.
He said the metaverse experience would give potential visitors to Wales “a flavour of all the exciting things you can see and do on a holiday in Wales”.
The Welsh government’s tourism minister, Hannah Blythyn, said the metaverse had been created “to reach new audiences”.
“By showcasing some of the best Wales has to offer visitors in this incredibly innovative way, we’re putting Wales in an online sphere where millions of people already meet every day,” she added.
Visitors to the virtual Wales can take on quests including building an interactive itinerary which includes real-life Wales-based activities.
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It’s a world created in partnership with a firm based in Swansea – iCreate.
“Wales punches above its weight when it comes to innovation and technology,” said iCreate founder Dawn Lyle.
“We’re excited to be a part of this initiative, with the virtual space opening up new worlds of possibility to reach new audiences.”
The Wales metaverse has now opened to the public and can be entered on smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers and via Meta Quest headsets.
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
