Nothing beats being there, so why immersive travel experiences?

I went to a screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing* the other evening and it was sobering, at times devastating, with a little hope too - albeit not enough of that - and I certainly came away with more questions than answers.

One question I had in my head was about travel, because travel is what I do! All Abroad! Bus exists because I believe that experiencing other countries and cultures matters. I want children, young people and adults who don't travel abroad, who aren't exposed to other cultures, to hear other languages, taste unfamiliar food, see and experience what life looks and feels like somewhere else and discover that the world is considerably bigger than their own patch of Sussex, or wherever they are based. It opens minds, broadens horizons and leaves people a little more curious about and empathetic to the people, places and cultures beyond their own.

And frankly, nothing beats actually going there. I'll always stand by that, as someone who loves travelling abroad - the journeys, the food, the shopping in markets (and supermarkets!), especially in new and unfamiliar places, the soundscapes and smellscapes, meeting the locals, trying out language skills (even when i have zero competence in a language!), and trying to work out what someone has just said to you. I just love that feeling of being somewhere else. So, I'm definitely not about to suggest that VR tours are a replacement for travel, because they're not, and I don't think anything ever will be.

But not everyone can travel - often through no choice of their own.

A school might not have the budget for an overseas trip. A care home resident might not be able to get on a plane (any more). A family might simply not have the time or the money. An individual might not have the confidence, or even a passport.

And that's why I'm particularly interested in bringing these experiences to schools and communities where opportunities to travel – or everyday encounters with other cultures and languages – aren't always easy to come by. That's also where support can make a real difference.

With All Abroad! Bus' 360° VR headset tours, people can browse a French market, stand beneath human towers forming at a Spanish festival - holding their breath in case the castellers topple! - or take in the scale of Machu Picchu, all from a school hall or community venue in Sussex or beyond. Add in language role play, food tasting, sounds, smells, textures and activities, and it becomes something closer to an authentic encounter than a video.

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I think of it less as an alternative to travel and more as a door left open for people who might not otherwise get anywhere near it. If a child finishes an All Abroad! Bus experience and goes home declaring “I want to see that for real,” that's brilliant. If tasting something from Peru makes them curious about Peru, or hearing French in a market scenario makes them realise they could actually use the language, that matters too.

Now, every VR tour still carries some footprint. The footage is gathered from real-world travel, the films and resources are made using electricity, and even something as small as toasting bread for a pan con tomate tasting session adds up. We use recycled and reusable materials wherever we can, and it's just not easy or practical to get all our materials to schools and venues without a car. So, I won't pretend our impact is zero, but it is small - and it's not the reason anyone should choose us over a trip abroad; it's simply another way in, for people who wouldn't otherwise get one.

I like to think of travel companies and immersive experiences like ours as two ends of the same spectrum, not in competition - both helping more people fall in love with the world, its cultures, its people and the nature of our planet, in whichever way is open to them. Travel matters. Culture matters. Access matters. The planet matters.

Want to help make the world feel a little closer?

Bring us to your school or community, or explore ways to support our work. And if you haven't yet seen the People's Emergency Briefing, you can find a screening near you or even organise one yourself - including at secondary schools and colleges.