Emirates airlines continue to trailblaze in the aviation sector by flying deeper into the digital economy. Their latest flight is headed into the Metaverse
The First Flights Into the Metaverse
The United Arab Emirates national carrier, Emirates Airways, is the latest big name to delve into the NFT and Metaverse space. The powerhouse Middle Eastern airline announced that the first project featuring a series of collectibles and utility-based NFTs is already underway.
This news shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that the airline has a reputation for consistently creating innovative experiences for its customers. And it’s latest move to develop signature brand experiences in the Metaverse is another show of its relentless commitment to leading the way in the digital economy.
The move aligns with Dubai and UAE’s commitment to building a strong, self-sufficient digital economy and its initiatives relating to artificial intelligence, virtual assets, and the latest innovations in business spaces. Of course, the Chairman of the Emirates group made sure to mention this while giving a statement regarding the launch.
During the launch announcement, Emirates Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum stated that the UAE and Dubai are already ahead in the digital economy. He further disclosed that “Emirates has always embraced advanced technologies to improve its business processes, enhance its customer offering while enriching its employees’ experiences.”
With the first project already in the execution stage, the launch of the first set of collectibles should happen within the next few months.
Repurposing Physical Structures to Facilitate Virtual Spaces Exploration
Emirates has also announced its plans to convert the Emirates Pavilion at the Expo 2020 site into a center for innovation. The facility will be repurposed into a hub where talents all over the globe will collaborate on NFT and Web3 projects to fast-track the airline’s establishment in the Metaverse.
The Chairman of the Emirates Group explained that the Emirates Pavilion at the Expo 2020 is the best site to develop such cutting-edge futuristic innovation in alignment with the UAE’s digital economy vision.
He continued that the company is excited about the “opportunities in the digital space of the future and are committing significant investment in financial and resourcing terms.” To that end, Emirates has intensified engagements with industry partners and is recruiting talents for its pipeline projects.
Emirates NFTs: User Interaction Expectations
Emirates has opted to keep the details of the NFT projects close to its chest by providing no further information on how its new endeavors will help improve customer experiences. However, given the airline’s reputation built on the success of its previous innovative solutions, investors and passengers have high expectations of this new venture.
Emirates is no stranger to delivering incredible innovations to improve user experiences. They pioneered web virtual reality half a decade ago when they launched an immersive 3D 360 views of their aircraft cabin interiors. The technology allows users to view their seats before stepping into the plane fully. Given the success of this and other previous projects, we can conclude that Emirates has what it takes to make this new exploration a success.
