Google Maps AR offers the ultimate walk-through Singapore’s Maxwell Food Centre
When it is time to explore a new destination, travelers want to research the location before they visit the area. Singapore Tourism, in partnership with Google Maps AR, created an immersive look into Singapore’s Maxwell Food Centre feels as if they are surrounded by the sights and sounds in person.
Traveling to various locales can be exciting. While there are new experiences and flavors to be enjoyed, no one wants to walk into that space blind. Research can be vital to making every moment even more enjoyable.
Recently, Singapore Tourism Board partnered with Google Maps to offer an Augmented Reality look into popular tourist destination. The pilot concept could be the new approach to tourism. Not only will it get guests more familiar with the area, it also gives a better glimpse into the area’s culture. It might not necessarily be taste or smell o-vision, but it is more immersive than just a traditional map or even a street view photo.
Recently, Singapore Tourism Board’s Rachel Loh offered some insight into the Google Maps partnership and how tourists can use this system. For example, Loh shared, “Many travelers utilize Google Maps for their trip planning and discovery of local places of interest. By integrating AR content and experiences into these Google Maps listings, we can introduce an extra layer of interactive content for visitors to engage with. Through immersive storytelling, AR can offer visitors additional historical context about the places they are visiting. For instance, when visiting The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, the AR experience reveals that the historic building once served as Singapore’s first General Post Office, and visitors can even mail postcards from there today.”
For food travelers, the Maxwell Food Centre is often on the must visit list. While it is a flavor paradise, it can sometimes be overwhelming to navigate. With the Google Maps AR experience, the visual cues and suggestions can help simplify the experience.
According to Loh, “The AR experience at Maxwell Food Centre offers visitors an interactive overview of the hawker (street food) centre's layout. It will also provide recommendations for must-try, iconic Singaporean hawker dishes, which is very helpful for first-time visitors who may feel daunted by the wide array of choices available at the hawker centre.”
As people start to navigate this new offering, it will open even more possibilities for the traveler to better understand the nuances of the area. Loh shared, “All 30 AR experiences will be made available on Google Maps by the end of the summer this year. Visitors can save these places of interest as part of their travel itineraries on Google Maps. In the meantime, visitors can download the Visit Singapore Travel Guide app to experience Merli’s Immersive Adventure, which is a tour of six location-based AR experiences across Singapore’s Civic District and Chinatown.”
Anyone can explore the Google Maps AR experiences. From booking a trip to exploring some food culture, the immersive experience should not be missed.