Marriott’s “Portal to Paradise” provides an AR glimpse of resort destinations

For the fastidious traveler, research and planning are essential first steps to a relaxing vacation. On June 19th, to provide the curious tourist a glimpse of potential destinations, Marriott Caribbean & Latin American Resorts launched the iOS application “Portal to Paradise.”

The iOS app is an augmented reality simulation allowing consumers to explore eight of Marriott’s resorts in Latin America. According to Hospitality Tech “, each resort offers six different scenes to explore, including the pools, restaurants, beaches, rooms, and spas.” Through aiming a smartphone at a flat surface, the app creates visual portals providing 360-degree glimpses of these resort destinations. 

In a statement, Marriott’s Vice President of Marketing Diana Plazas describes the app as “going beyond the typical image gallery on a resort’s website,” placing “consumers directly on property in such a realistic way that they can almost feel the ocean breezes and hear waves outside hotel windows.”