The team operating the drone and capturing footage in Milford Sound included (L to R) Jack English, Bazz Deans, Tony Young, Joe Allen, Peter Houston.
Tourism company Southern Discoveries will be able to showcase their product to tourists from around the globe via an immersive 360° Virtual Reality video.
The company is one of the first tourism operators in New Zealand to use the VR technology, which places the guest in the very heart of Milford Sound, able to "look up at the towering sides of the majestic fjord and down into the crystal clear waters", according to Southern Discoveries.
It is the first company to present Milford Sound in VR, and buyers will be able to view the experience at TRENZ in Rotorua this week.
“We were the first company to operate cruises in Milford Sound and now to be the first operator presenting agents with this amazing technology is really exciting", Southern Discoveries sales and marketing director Julia Savill said. "It will be a key tool in our sales kit from now on."
“Milford Sound is the eighth wonder of the world and renowned for its dramatic vistas. To be able to sit in a booth at a trade show and look down on one of our boats sitting under a waterfall, then be on the deck of a catamaran underneath the same waterfall almost able to ‘feel’ the water misting over you is a spine-tingling experience.
“Tourism New Zealand’s research tells us that landscapes are a key driver of visitation to New Zealand, and we can now take that virtual scenery to the world,” Julia said.
Southern Discoveries engaged digital solutions agency One Fat Sheep to work on the project from its inception.
“Our sales and marketing team is constantly looking at new ways to create interesting and engaging sales and marketing material,” Savill said.
“Creating a VR experience was high on our priority list so we got in touch with One Fat Sheep who worked with NZVR360 and Helicam Films and took care of everything from storyboard to filming to producing the final product.
“We’re delighted with the final product and are sure the buyers will enjoy it too. We want as many people as possible to come and experience our trips through this technology. ”
View the 360° video here.