Croeso i Gymru!
You can now visit Wales from anywhere in the world as the country becomes the first UK nation to join the metaverse.
The launch of Wales in the metaverse hopes to give virtual visitors from around the world a chance to see all the country has to offer.
And it has a lot – from ancient ruins to spectacular scenery, travel lovers can visit some of the country’s best-known sights without stepping foot outside their homes.
The immersive experience, created by the Welsh government tourist board Visit Wales and hosted on the platform Spatial, aims to draw more tourists to Wales.
Around 600 million people visit the metaverse each year on different platforms, but the Welsh tourism agency says it is the first European country to take this innovative approach to advertising itself.
Visitors can walk around a virtual island which includes a castle and a cable car where they can travel from one side of the metaverse to the other.
People can also take part in quests where they can collect dragons hidden across the virtual islands, and build a virtual interactive itinerary drawn from real-life places to stay and visit.
Visitors can even see a snapshot of culture by going to the amphitheatre, similar to that which stood in Roman-era Caerleon, with screens showcasing highlights of Wales’ music and culture.
Minister for Tourism, Hannah Blythyn, said: ‘The Wales Metaverse has been created to reach new audiences – wherever they may be in the world – and inspire them to visit our awesome nation for real.
‘By showcasing some of the best Wales has to offer visitors in this incredibly innovative way, we’re putting Wales in an online sphere were millions of people already meet every day.’
Wales has collaborated with Swansea-based Meta architects, iCreate to make the 3D world.
‘Our aim is to bring the endless possibilities of Wales to life in an immersive experience of exploration, helping audiences plan their dream itinerary in Wales while they complete mini-quests in the metaverse experience,’ said Dawn Lyle, the iCreate founder.
The Metaverse is a virtual world that essentially extends reality using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices.
Devices like headsets allow you to explore virtual 3D spaces where you can socialise, learn, collaborate and play.
The word was first created by Neal Stephenson in 1992 in his novel Snow Crash to describe an alternative 3D-connected reality.
The Welsh metaverse can be visited on smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers and via Meta Quest headsets.
