A Birmingham business offering ground-breaking multi-sensory virtual tours has already led to new business worth tens of thousands of pounds for one venue, it was revealed at its official Birmingham and the West Midlands launch.
Leading figures from the UK tourism industry, including key players from the Meetings Industry Association and The Meetings Show, gathered for the launch of hyybab Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Hyybab offers fully-immersive, multi-sensory virtual tours of venues and destinations. Its unique ‘babboxes’, which are delivered to event planners ahead of the tour, are packed with drinks, food samples, beauty products and treats to enable visitors to experience not only the sights, but also the tastes, textures and aromas of a venue.
The launch was held at the stunning Sky Loft on the 16th floor of the Park Regis Birmingham, in partnership with the Birmingham and the West Midlands Convention Bureau.
Guests were shown exactly how the platform works, with demonstrations from managing director Leo Platt, who showed off the ‘babboxes’ and the full sensory experience they include.
Noel Sexton, director of View It 360, revealed the incredible digital technology which allows event planners to explore a venue or destination at the click of a mouse.
The guests heard how hyybab was created during lockdown, when face-to-face visits could not go ahead, but was now just as relevant as the industry returns to normal, with virtual fam trips much more time and cost-effective that visiting a venue in person.
Park Regis Birmingham was the first venue in the world to use the hyybab platform. Jess Brabant, sales manager, revealed that using hyybab has led to confirmed bookings to date worth over £40,000.
“We have been delighted to work with hyybab and it has become an integral part of our sales strategy,” she said.
The platform has also been adopted by Liverpool Convention Bureau, enabling it to showcase all the wonderful attractions and venues the city has to offer.
Leo said: “It was great to see so many people at the launch and we’ve had some really positive feedback.
“We were so proud to be able to stage the event in our home city of Birmingham and we’re thrilled to be working in partnership with the Birmingham and the West Midlands Convention Bureau.
“There is no limit to the venues that are ‘hyybabable’ and we can’t wait to see what the future holds!”