Zanadu, Shanghai, China

Online luxury travel agency Zanadu provides high-end holidays to affluent Chinese travellers. As the market is relatively young, much of its work revolves around customer education and market development.

The company’s initial VR marketing efforts proved so popular that it has since expanded into a permanent bricks-and-mortar retail space that showcases virtual versions of its travel packages.

Zanadu’s first brand space reflects how travel will be booked and experienced in the near future.

Located in Shanghai Village, the 600sqm space is the first virtual reality travel concept store in the world. Its striking art deco exterior contrasts with the pixellated design approach within – a concept designed to represent an offline rendering of a virtual world.

Inside customers begin their journey under a central overhead balloon feature representing the launch of their trip. Here they participate in 360 degree virtual travel experiences that allow them to test potential travel destinations before booking their trip.

After the VR experience, they can continue to browse travel ideas via 20 interactive destination cubes. In doing so they can explore Zanadu’s products in that destination and book a trip. In-store travel consultant are also available for this purpose.

In keeping with Zanadu’s digital roots, the store’s design language is tech driven, featuring ‘pixels’ shaped into signage, seating and displays. Wall-length screens play branded content, creating a dynamic, cinematic ambience, and QR codes are used to launch VR experiences or link to specific products.

The approach is proving effective. With 75% of visitors joining the brand’s customer relationship management programme, Zanadu’s out-of-the-box immersive VR experience is a destination worth visiting.