Virtual Vacation during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Since the government policy was issued to carry out activities from home and travel restrictions to reduce Covid-19 transmission, the community carried out all activities such as work, study and shopping from home. Feeling bored will arise because it takes too long to do activities at home. One of the things that is able to overcome this boredom is to take a vacation. In the current technological era, even at home, you can still take a vacation by utilizing Augmented Reality technology and social media.

Augmented Reality is a virtual technology that is able to bring 3D objects into the real world and humans can interact. By utilizing this technology, tourist attractions can be made in three-dimensional objects and only with a smartphone can tourists take a virtual vacation in their homes. As an example of the use of Augmented Reality is a DewataAR application, this application promotes the tourism object of Tanah Lot Temple with a brochure as a marker so that it can display 3D objects, videos and information related to Tanah Lot Temple. Tourists only need to install the application on their smartphone devices, then point the camera at the brochure that has been provided it will bring up the Tanah Lot Temple object in 3D. Information Application Traditional House Penglipuran Village, this application can provide entertainment and information about traditional buildings in Penglipuran Tourism Village only through the user's smartphone. Users can use their smartphone cameras to detect markers on the brochure, so they are able to display 3D objects from custom buildings along with audio and text information.

Besides using Augmented Reality, virtual vacation can also take advantage of social media like Instagram. Tourist places can do Live on Instagram. Live on Instagram can be done by a guide around the tourist attractions and explain as if he was taking tourists around the tourist attractions. Virtual ways like this have been done by Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, Bogor Botanic Garden and Bali Botanic Garden.

By utilizing technological sophistication, current holiday activities can be done at home. Tourists who are bored with activities at home and want to take a vacation only need to use their smartphone and can experience a virtual vacation.