BIAL launches metaverse experience at BLR Airport
BENGALURU, INDIA—Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport),recently launched the first phase of the ‘BLR Metaport’ which allows passengers to experience metaverse.
With this new launch, BLR Airport’s T2 becomes one of the first terminals in the world that can be experienced on the metaverse.
Built in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Polygon, the BLR Metaport offers an immersive, three-dimensional (3D) virtual experience of the newly launched Terminal 2 at BLR Airport. Interested travelers and the public can log on to www.blrmetaport.com and virtually tour and navigate the new state-of-the-art terminal, using their smart devices.
The BLR Metaport is an outcome of the Joint Innovation Centre (JIC), announced in April 2022 by BIAL, AWS, and Intel. The JIC focuses on driving the development and adoption of digital solutions in aviation. For BIAL, the mission of the JIC is to leverage emerging technologies to build new business models and passenger experiences and be at the forefront of technology innovation in India’s commercial aviation.
Developed in line with this mission, the BLR Metaport is one of the first airport metaverse experience, designed to deliver an enhanced digital experience for travelers. A 3D interface will offer customers new ways to interact with the airport, such as checking into flights, navigating terminals, shopping, and social aspects like connecting with other travelers. BLR Metaport brings the virtual and physical worlds together to provide consistent engagement, and aims to excite travelers with new, unique, and immersive experiences.
“We are very excited that BIAL is entering into the new world of metaverse through the BLR Metaport. This is our first foray into the world of Web3 and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and we aim to delight travellers with a unique, immersive, and virtual experience. We believe that it is important to connect with a new generation of our global audience through the metaverse. We also have several initiatives planned around the BLR Metaport, which promise to increase ways in which we can engage with our global audience and enhance business impact over the next few years,” said BIAL’s Chief Strategy and Development Officer Satyaki Raghunath.
BLR Metaport is built on the fundamentals of decentralization, where control and decision-making are transferred from a centralized entity to a distributed network. It uses the Polygon Blockchain, which will act as a medium of digital economy in the future for users to trade digital assets seamlessly and securely.
These digital assets could be digital artwork at the BLR Metaport, certificates that are given for completing various industry-related training courses, collectibles, utility and commemorative NFTs. In the future, BLR Metaport will enable users to shop from their favorite brands sitting in any part of the world.
