Virtual reality tours could spell the end of holiday brochures

Thomas Cook has been trying out the headsets, offering customers the chance to "experience" a holiday before they buy it

Holidaymakers will now be able to try before they buy on a virtual reality tour at their travel agent. Instead of flicking through brochures, Thomas Cook customers can put on a headset and “experience” their luxury hotel or cruise ship.

The goggles will also allow travellers to take a “reality walk” on foreign beaches or go sight-seeing without leaving the store. Customers can choose from 40 videos which will bring to life different parts of their trip, from the plane journey to the resort itself.

Thomas Cook has tried out the headsets at eight branches and plans to introduce them at 17 more by 2019.

Figures from the Association of British Travel Agents show three-quarters of four holidays are now booked online. But Thomas Cook believes new technology may attract us back to stores. A spokesman said: “Customers like it. The Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship video led to 45 per cent increase in bookings.”

Rival firm Tui, which owns Thomson and First Choice, is also trialling reality headsets with videos and interactive touch screens and plans to ditch its own brochures by 2020. But Thomas Cook says it has no plans to scrap brochures yet.