Do you remember when the Metaverse was the hottest topic on the digital playground? It was as though someone had opened a time capsule from a distant, futuristic world. But as soon as the dust settled, Artificial Intelligence took center stage, and the Metaverse seemed to be relegated to the corner of forgotten dreams. But hold onto your VR headsets because something big is looming on the horizon of technology.

Welcome to the era of Mixed Reality, where the physical and virtual not only go hand in hand but dance a tango on the floor of innovation. The idea of browsing a virtual operating system by merely moving our eyes and fingers seemed like science fiction a few years ago. Yet, with the launch of Apple Vision Pro in February 2024, these futuristic dreams suddenly became tangible reality.

As we still ponder what the Metaverse might be—a nearly hundred-year-old idea that threatened to gather dust in the drawer of history—the next major platform shift is already on our doorstep. Think about the evolution from mainframes to PCs, from the internet to the mobile era, and to cloud computing. Each of these shifts turned our world upside down, with services like Facebook, Netflix, and Amazon AWS growing into giants, their concepts baffling us at the time.

Yet, what's next on the technology menu seems to be less about a permanently inhabitable virtual world and more about a Mixed Reality that enriches our real lives with virtual experiences. Imagine sitting in a restaurant and being able to not only read the menu but also see the dishes virtually appear on your plate. Or exploring a hotel room in the Caribbean while still in your living room, almost feeling the sea breeze.

For the tourism industry, this technology opens up entirely new dimensions of marketing and customer engagement. Virtually exploring travel destinations before we pack our bags will not only be possible but become an integral part of travel planning. Hotels can immerse us deeper into their world through virtual experiences than any brochure or 2D website could. The days of relying on photos and videos might soon be over. Tomorrow, we might just put on our Vision Pro and stroll through the hotel, choosing a room with a sea view without ever leaving our sofa.

Mixed Reality is not just a bridge between the virtual and the real; it's a springboard into a future where travel and hotel stays are enriched by digital wonders. Yesterday, it was paper catalogs; today, it's Booking.com; and tomorrow? Tomorrow, we might already be wandering through virtual hotel lobbies and booking our next adventure with a wink. Welcome to the fascinating world of Mixed Reality, where every experience is just a moment away.

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