In Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality News
January 22, 2020 – Accenture and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have collaborated with InterContinental Hotels Group to pilot a solution that uses augmented and virtual reality to assist with event planning.
Developed by the Accenture Extended Reality (XR) practice, in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, the XR Event Planner solution places event planners, buyers and hotel sales staff side-by-side in a virtual reconstruction of an event space, allowing them to remotely envision and configure a layout in real-time. Piloted at InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, the proof-of-concept recreates the hotel’s Hollywood Ballroom in 3D, including accurate reflections of architectural features, layout, lighting, carpet design, table settings and fabric patterns. Users can modify room layouts, toggle between table and chair configurations, stage placement, decorations and lighting—all while collaborating remotely and adding notes for colleagues or the hotel set-up crew.
The solution represents a step towards addressing challenges within the meetings and events industry, where currently, booking event spaces can be a slow and expensive undertaking, requiring event planners to scout geographically distant locations – according to the companies. Feedback from focus group testing and market analysis that Accenture conducted showed that the XR Event Planner could help to increase hotel revenue by up to eight percent. In addition, Accenture stated that hoteliers estimate it could reduce sales cycle time, decrease booking costs and improve brand loyalty and brand affinity.
“Collaborating with Accenture and Qualcomm Technologies on the XR Event Planner pilot has demonstrated the power of augmented and virtual reality technologies in hotels,” said Jeff Edwards, Senior Vice President, Global Hotel & Owner Solutions, InterContinental Hotels Group. “This tool equips hotels, such as InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, to close event sales even faster and increase productivity, while simultaneously helping clients experience event spaces without having to travel, in a new, dynamic way that brings the event to life during the planning process.”
Designed to be used across multiple devices, including mobile phones and tablets, the pilot solution extends the traditional consumer digital journey from smartphone AR to a more immersive head worn device, including Nreal AR glasses and HTC Vive Focus Plus VR headsets – both powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Platform.
Raffaella Camera, global head, Innovation & Market Strategy, Accenture Extended Reality, said, “The Accenture XR practice is continuously exploring ways to reimagine how people and organizations alike interact with the world around them through the latest immersive technologies. Our XR Event Planner is a prime example of this principle in action, with the potential to fundamentally transform how the event planning industry operates.”
Accenture states that its XR practice is a strategic initiative, and uses human-centered design principles, deep industry knowledge, global scale, and expertise in combinatorial technologies such as AI and IoT, to help global 2000 companies imagine, create and deliver impactful XR experiences to unlock new business value.
Brian Vogelsang, senior director of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc, added, “Qualcomm Technologies invents the technologies and tools that transform industries and lives. We believe that XR has the potential to revolutionize the enterprise and we’re proud to work with Accenture and InterContinental Hotels Group to bring the benefits of immersive computing to the event planning industry by harnessing the power of our Qualcomm Snapdragon Platform.”
For more information on the XR Event Planner, click here.
Video credit: Accenture/YouTube
About the author
Sam Sprigg
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.
