Insights

What is a virtual tour and how does it work?

7 minute read

A virtual tour is an interactive, 360°-explorable version of a physical space, letting visitors "walk" through a building or location themselves from their phone, tablet or laptop. No VR headset needed, no app to install — just a link that opens in the browser. Where a photo shows one angle and a video follows a fixed route, a virtual tour hands the visitor control: looking at what interests them, at their own pace.

How does the technology behind it work?

It starts with a 360° camera placed at fixed "capture points" throughout the space — every room, corner or zone that needs to be viewable separately counts as one point. These points are then linked together into a navigable route: click or tap an arrow and you "walk" to the next room. On top of that, we place hotspots — clickable info points with text, photos or video about a product, service or detail that would otherwise go unnoticed. The entire navigation is styled in the client's own branding, so the tour feels like an extension of the brand, not a separate technical add-on.

Who is it suited for?

In practice, a virtual tour works anywhere people want to understand a space before physically going there. In real estate it filters serious buyers from browsers; in retail it gives a preview of the shopping experience; in hospitality it shows guests the atmosphere and rooms before they book; and in industry it makes site visits and onboarding possible without anyone needing to be physically present.

Virtual tour versus regular photos or video

Loose photos show snapshots, and a video imposes a fixed viewing direction — the visitor sees what the camera operator wanted to show, in that order. A virtual tour flips that around: the visitor decides for themselves what they see and for how long. That doesn't just create a more pleasant experience, but also more honest expectations — which in turn leads to less friction afterward, whether that's a viewing that didn't fit or a guest who expected the room to look different.

What do you need to get started?

Usually nothing more than a suitable location and a moment when it's tidy and well-lit. The rest — camera, editing, hotspots, branding — we handle. The price mainly depends on the number of capture points and whether you want additional options like a drone shoot; we have a calculator for that which gives an estimate in a few clicks.