Guided Tours of Rapa Nui

On March 16, 2020 authorities on Rapa Nui closed the island in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Local tour guides who depend on tourism revenue for their livelihoods, were adversely impacted by the closure which remains in effect as of September 2021. To support those impacted by the global freeze on travel, CyArk and the Tour Guide Association of Rapa Nui partnered together on an innovative project to leverage existing 3D content to create web-accessible virtual tours of the island's heritage. The project provided direct support to the local guides who were able to purchase audio and video equipment and experiment with new ways to engage with the public. With training from CyArk, local partners were able to produce five virtual tour experiences available in a number of languages. Through these experiences, guides are now able to raise awareness for the activities of the association and encourage in-person visitation when travel becomes possible.