Khaya’s 360-degree spin on accommodation

by Khaya South Africa
May 24, 2017
2 min read

The response to Khaya's story on our use of 360-degree photography technology, which was published in the April 2017 edition of our ePaper, was so big that we decided a follow-up story with our chief photographer Martin Kleinert was in order.

Martin has been at the forefront of the technology in recent times, experimenting with it - and fine-tuning its capabilities to improve the accommodation viewing experience for Khaya's clients.

The 360-degree technology, as we said in the ePaper story, is literally putting a new spin on how current and prospective clients view our offering.

Here, Martin takes us even deeper into the new technology.

Virtual Reality

2016 was effectively named the 'Year of Virtual Reality', with all technology firms, global player companies and exhibitions working and presenting products and services by using 360-degree technology. Virtual reality glasses were popular, giving customers a new 'inside' experience. The technology allows companies to show their business in new dimensions - scenic, all-around views and a 'dive in' feel.

After TV switched from standard footage to high definition-ready and then to full high definition, virtual reality is now the next big thing. Through Martin and a drive to be the cutting edge of products to help our clients, Khaya is growing a big knowledge in the business of virtual reality and 360-degree camera technology.

In a time when not many companies know how consumers will use this kind of virtual reality content, especially TV and online broadcasters, Khaya is well positioned to inform and help. Khaya exhibited their Moscow accommodation in 360-degree views recently, with clients given a perfect 'look and feel' of their upcoming stay during the FIFA World Cup. This was a far stronger experience than simply showing normal pictures in printed brochures.

Challenges

Virtual reality needs a massive amount of data volume for transferring content. Therefore, all online transfer and broadcasting possibilities are far from good at the moment. Regardless, there is a real hunger for the technology these days - and the business of 360-degree technology is growing very quickly.

One has to buy expensive production equipment to make this happen. Thankfully, Khaya is already in possession of such equipment. Also, the 'stitching' together of the dual lens (or even more than two lenses) can be very time consuming. Again, though, Martin and Khaya find the time to make this happen.

At this point in time, there are only a few ways to present the virtual reality content. The most effective way is via social media, particularly Facebook and Youtube.