Virtual reality is new way to view Ireland's Atlantic coast

Tourists visiting Ireland can now experience virtual reality (VR) experiences along the Wild Atlantic Way through apps on their phones or computers.

It comes as figures show that the number of people visiting Ireland for a holiday jumped by almost 30% in the first three months of 2016 compared to record high figures last year.

Fáilte Ireland has now also unveiled its new 360° views of the Wild Atlantic Way which it says will add another level of immersion for visitors researching the destination.

A number of activities (surfing under the Cliffs of Moher; sea stack climbing; beach horse riding; and cycling along the Wild Atlantic Way) are now all available on virtual reality apps including LittleStar and Samsung Milk VR.

The experiences can also be viewed in new 360° videos which allow viewers to tap, click or drag the video to change their viewing angle and see what’s happening around them giving the viewer an almost life like experience.

These can be viewed on desktop and mobile websites as well as on VR headsets and Google Cardboard.

The views are available across all Wild Atlantic Way digital platforms including WildAtlanticWay.com, as well as across social media sites like Facebook and YouTube.

Keem Bay, Achill

The first of the 360° videos promoted publicly — Surfing at the Cliffs of Moher — has already generated 150,000 views amongst potential visitors.

Head of marketing with Fáilte Ireland, Daragh Anglim, said the embrace of cutting-edge technology ensures that Ireland remains competitive when trying to attract visitors.

“The world of tourism is becoming increasingly competitivem” said Mr Anglim.

“Using this new technology to bring almost life-like experiences to visitors as they research and book their holidays will ensure that Ireland can stand out in a crowded marketplace,” he said.

Fáilte Ireland is also using the latest 360° technology to provide visitors with an immersive view of all of the 15 key Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Points.

Each signature point on the map can be viewed from an overhead satellite view which can be rotated and manoeuvred with a mouse or keyboard.

The VR and 360° experiences were commissioned by Fáilte Ireland and filmed earlier this year using a combination of drone; custom built mounted back packs and GoPro equipment to truly give this immersive perspective.