JEDDAH, 23 November 2004 — You’ve read the guide book and seen the brochure pictures, now smell the sights. The Leeds branch of Thomson travel agency will be introducing Smellyvision at its store from next week. Holiday makers will be able to take a virtual 3D full-sensory guided tour of Egypt with a headset that emits evocative aromas such as herbs and spices at Cairo’s open air market, musty smells of a pharoah’s tomb, refreshing sea breeze and coconut suntan lotion. The device will also play the sounds of the attractions through earphones and display a film of them in front of your eyes, using 180 degree footage. The technology will be rolled out to other agencies across the country from January. “This is a real taste of how holidays could be sold in the future,” said Thomson’s Miles Morgan. “It allows customers to try before they buy.” Presumably Eau de Egyptian toilet and traffic fumes will not be on the menu.
