Pokémon Go influences travel planning
Reality video game phenomenon Pokémon Go is – amazingly – having a significant impact on the travel plans of its players.
A new survey by Hotels.com found out that almost half (48%) of American adults aged 18-30 are choosing their next vacation spot based on locating and catching as many Pokémon’s as possible.
Nowadays, hunting a Pokémon or two in Central Park, among the Pyramids of Giza or by the London Eye matter and the game is becoming a new way to see the world. Pokémon Go uses real-life attractions all over the globe as Pokestops, where each landmark offers a piece of historical and cultural education.
Taylor L. Cole, APR travel expert for Hotels.com, said: “People are visiting new destinations and exploring landmarks and places they never thought to see – whether it’s in your city or across the globe. Our surveys have always shown us how spontaneous travelers can be and Pokémon Go is no exception.”
Participants in the survey also agreed that they would rather walk for four hours per day, hunting down rare Pokémons than spend the same amount of time lying on the beach. Another 35% believe that playing a game could result in exploring and learning more about the destination.
Global adventures
Travel providers are already taking advantages, offering Pokémon adventures around the world. A spokesperson for adventure holiday company Geckos Adventures, said: “As you travel, you will check out some of the most amazing, eye-opening and mind-blowing sights along the way. Imagine the bragging rights you’ll have if you catch Pikachu at Machu Picchu, battle Blastoise alongside a giant tortoise in the Galapagos and spot Pidgeot at Angkor Wat.”
Official tourist boards are also joining the excitement. The city of Basel in Switzerland released an entertaining video of four adults dressed as Pikachus, targeting people on the phones and attacking them with big poke balls. The video was commissioned by the city of Basel to boost tourism, and in just two days it had reached over 60 million views.
Hotels, resorts, restaurants, and bars are also reaping the benefits of the popular game. A London bar, listed as a Pokestop, reported a great increase in revenue thanks to its location, while hotels are encouraging their visitors to search for Pokémons in their properties. As reported by the Hotels.com survey, players now agree that having free Wi-Fi turns out to be more important than free breakfast.
Finally, Expedia recently listed the top Pokémon destinations around the world:
- Circular Quay, Sydney
- Central Park, New York
- State Library of Victoria, Melbourne
- Big Ben, London
- Savoy Hotel, London
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- The Colosseum, Rome
- Stonehenge, Wiltshire
- Disneyland, Anaheim. California
- Meiji Jingu, Tokyo
The Pokémon Go game offers a way to interact with both familiar and entirely new destinations, adding to its appeal to the tourism industry. Leading destination guide provider ArrivalGuides is focused on listing authentic content, Points-of-Interest and inspirational videos to help travellers find a perfect escape and provide destinations with the best ways to expose themselves and, attract more visitors.
In collaboration with Field Trip, another successful app from Pokémon creators Niantic Lab, ArrivalGuides’ destination content is used to guide travellers to the cool, hidden and unique things in the world around them. Travellers select the local feeds they like, and the information about the location and attractions pops up on their phone automatically, as they walk close to those places.
