As predicted, virtual reality (VR) is entering the meetings market with full force this year.
The latest: Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., launched a new VR-enabled 3D interactive map on May 11. That means meeting planners can now explore the convention center’s 7 million square feet of space virtually with the map’s photospheres, images and 3D models—all of which are powered by the atlas3D platform from concept3D, a company that specializes in creating immersive online experiences.
As planners explore the OCCC’s meeting spaces and breakout rooms in search of the perfect venues, they can also use atlas3D’s MapSpacer to create a custom space layout. Using the SketchUp plug-in, planners and OCCC representatives can shortlist meeting spaces that meet their criteria and even pull from available inventory of tables, chairs and equipment to plan a meeting without the hours of back and forth. In fact, MapSpacer was built as a collaboration between concept3D and OCCC representatives to help them continue business as one of the world’s largest and most high-tech convention centers in the world, hosting more than 200 events and about 1.4 million attendees each year.
“atlas3D and MapSpacer created a game-changer for how planning takes place in this industry, and it’s incredibly exciting to be the first convention center in the world to offer MapSpacer,” says OCCC Executive Director Kathie Canning. “The platform is ideal for marketing our space as well as for promoting the many on- and off-site hotels, attractions and partners that further improve the attendee experience.”
Meeting planners can access the interactive map from anywhere in the world on a desktop computer or mobile device.
 in Orlando, Fla., launched a new VR-enabled 3D interactive map on May 11 for meeting planners to use.){kind=link}