Outer Banks refreshes website with AI and 3-D
OuterBanks.org now offers enhanced artificial intelligence and 3-D viewing capabilities.
The Outer Banks, the barrier islands off the coast of the state of North Carolina that were first in flight with the Wright Brothers, the birthplace of offshore commercial fishing in the U.S. and the site of treacherous seas that caused a large number of shipwrecks throughout its history, is now home to one of the most high tech and user friendly travel and tourism websites.
It came as a pleasant surprise to me when The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau announced it has integrated the latest in visual and intuitive technologies within OuterBanks.org, the lead planning site for OBX and Outer Banks vacation discoveries.
"With the new user experience at OuterBanks.org," explains Lee Nettles, Executive Director, "a prospective visitor can build a wish list for their vacation itinerary using Utrip technology, and then test run some of the experiences that may have been selected in one of our new 360-degree YouVisit virtual videos."
Visitors to the new website tools get to play with different options based on their interests, and at the end of the session they are presented with a customized, shareable daily schedule filled with their favorite Outer Banks food, adventure and entertainment.
Pull up outerbanks.org and you and your family can build and share customized itineraries for your group ahead of an OBX vacation thanks to a partnership with Utrip. Utrip is a Seattle startup that uses machine learning to help travelers plan their itineraries and trips with ease.
“One of the things that our travelers love about Utrip is the depth with which we curate destinations and go beyond those top 10 lists that are available everywhere to offer experiences that are really unique and local and authentic for that destination,” said Utrip CEO Gilad Berenstein. “That’s one big priority, continuing to build out our machine learning capabilities as well as our human expert network, our chefs, artists, historians, etcetera.”
For a virtual reality 360 degree exploration of the Outer Banks, potential travelers can use the new YouVisit function on desktop or smartphone.
With the latest trip planning partnerships with YouVisit and Utrip technologies, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau official website OuterBanks.org provides travelers and potential visitors with personalized itinerary tools to make the most of their vacations any season of the year.
"Prospective and returning visitors look to us as the official destination site and can expect easy-to-find, accurate information that'll help them visualize what our communities have to offer," explains Nettles. "The partnerships with Utrip and YouVisit are part of our effort to provide the best travel planning service available, whether that's on or off-line." From a desktop keyboard or smart phone YouVisit app, a guest user can fly down Jockey's Ridge on a hang glider, listen to a ranger speak atop Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, drop in at Wright Brothers National Memorial, or check out the view from the deck of a vacation rental home in panorama video, among other things. "It's our goal to help travelers understand the value of an Outer Banks vacation, and get the most out of their time with us every season of the year."
Travelers can search OuterBanks.org in traditional ways, but feel free to take the virtual tour and experience OBX from its beaches to its lighthouses to waterways and bars/restaurants.
There is much to see and do in the Outer Banks. It's one of the premiere destinations in North America and the newly minted OuterBanks.org gives a glimpse of what to expect and see. There is still nothing that replaces actually being in OBX. The website also does a great job of giving visitors information on rentals and package deals. There are options for every budget. Also see their list of the "Top 10 Things to do OBX."
It's time to visit OBX.