Connecting Travelers to Unique Destinations: How Herman DeBoard Created a Virtual Experience App

In late 2019, Herman DeBoard embarked on an ambitious journey to reshape the gig economy landscape with Huvr, a ground-breaking virtual experience app. Huvr stands for “Human Virtual Reality,” reflecting the app’s ongoing mission to provide real-time, human-guided experiences. 

Today, this innovative platform seeks to transform how people explore distant landscapes and cultures by virtually connecting users with human guides around the world.

The spark of innovation that launched virtual travel on Huvr

Herman DeBoard’s idea for Huvr was born as he watched the character Jake Sully, a paralyzed former Marine, teleport virtually to a new world via a pod in the film “Avatar.” Inspired, DeBoard leveraged his coding skills to develop a minimum viable product that could turn the film’s far-fetched plot into reality.

“We built an app essentially like Uber,” DeBoard explains, “but instead of connecting riders to drivers, we connect virtual travelers to human walkers around the world. Users can log on, select a walker, and get real-time visual and auditory experiences of various locations.”

Huvr offers unparalleled virtual tours

Huvr opens doors to over 50 fascinating countries, providing virtual tours that offer far more than pictures or video. Have you ever been curious about the iconic urban elevators of Valparaíso, Chile? Imagine strolling past Europe’s largest castle in Prague. What if you could pop over and see what’s for sale at the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo? Huvr makes all of this possible by combining cutting-edge technology with a global network of gig workers who act as virtual tour guides or “Walkers.”

To make these virtual connections and interactive journeys possible, Huvr employs around 80 staff and relies on a vast network of gig economy workers. Users simply log on, select a destination, and choose a local walker in the area they want to visit.

Huvr puts virtual travelers in the driver’s seat. They choose the destination, decide how long the tour will last — anywhere from a 10-minute stroll to an hour-long adventure — and can even offer suggestions to direct the walker’s route. As soon as the connection goes live, virtual travelers simply tell the Huvr walkers where they want to go and what they hope to see.   

Huvr connects virtual travelers with friendly people around the world who love walking and sharing their homes. Travelers enjoy the sights and sounds of their chosen destination and engage directly with their guide to learn more about the city. This immersive experience enables travelers to communicate with their guides, explore the world remotely, and save a video to remember their experience.

To find out where virtual travelers enjoy going, the app’s users can scroll through the platform’s helpful tour reviews. The app also offers exclusive deals, discounts on select tours, and several free tours through its Huvr World program.

One exciting new initiative is the Huvr Africa program, which provides U.S. high school and college students with real-time access to African sites and offers a unique view into the continent’s rich culture. Each year, this program spans 30 African countries and engages 2-3 million students from over 100 institutions.

“We did not design Huvr to replace the joy of physical travel,” notes DeBoard. “Our intention is to inspire you to travel. Before spending the time and money to visit an exotic destination in person, use virtual travel to check out exactly where you plan to go and to get tips from a local. You can plan your next family vacation, check out a home for sale, look for a truly unique purchase, investigate breaking news, or simply see the world.”

Huvr’s exclusive live events

Beyond virtual travel, Huvr also streams live events in high-definition VR, including concerts, theater performances, sports events, and international conferences. This feature allows users to partake in global events without the expense or hassle of travel, offering a crowd-free yet immersive experience.

At these private or public events, the Huvr platform can support thousands of virtual participants who want to join. The platform also saves videos to commemorate each occasion.

With this technology, Huvr allows content influencers and creators to dramatically expand the scope of their content. Equipped with just a mobile device, they can offer live, interactive coverage of events anywhere in the world.

Businesses large and small can use Huvr to organize virtual conferences, training sessions, or product launches. They can also reach clients and customers through innovative virtual store tours, real-time product demonstrations, and immersive workshops. Huvr collects data during these virtual events. This empowers businesses to analyze User preferences, enhance future experiences, improve customer service, and tailor products to better meet customer needs. 

With Huvr, the world is only a click away. Join the platform and start satisfying your wanderlust through rich, meaningful, interactive virtual tours and live events today. To start the journey, visit the Hover website and explore the groundbreaking ways technology connects virtual travelers with the world and bridges geographical gaps.