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The AlUla Skies Festival has made its grand entrance into the virtual realm of Decentraland, bringing an extraordinary experience to visitors. This unique event, organized by CryptoAngel and presented in partnership with Metakey, invites participants to embark on a virtual hot air balloon ride, offering a mesmerizing tour of AlUla's renowned landmarks, such as Hegra and the Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza. Taking place from May 8 to 18, this festival aims to revolutionize immersive entertainment in the metaverse. Participants have the opportunity to explore the picturesque desert landscape, collect various parts to assemble their own hot air balloon and engage in exhilarating adventures. As an added bonus, participants can earn fashionable wearables, allowing them to add a touch of style to their virtual escapades. The AlUla Skies Festival in Decentraland promises an unforgettable and visually stunning experience for all attendees.
Internet media company Travelzoo is venturing into the metaverse with the launch of Travelzoo Meta, a members-only service that offers innovative travel experiences in virtual realms. With Travelzoo Meta, users can explore remote destinations like Mount Everest or step back in time to Ancient Rome, all from the comfort of their mobile or desktop devices using a simple browser.
As an added perk, Travelzoo Meta is offering one million founding members exclusive access to personality-based Travel Companions in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). These unique NFTs allow members to embark on metaverse adventures tailored to their individual travel styles. Travelzoo Meta not only eliminates physical limitations but also fosters social connections through shared experiences.
Founding members will play a vital role in shaping the future of metaverse travel by providing feedback on beta experiences.
The Sandbox, a major brand in the Metaverse, has launched an exciting VoxEdit contest in collaboration with the Walking Dead franchise. Fans can unleash their creativity by designing a voxel asset inspired by the iconic graphic novel to compete for a share of 15,000 $SAND. Using The Sandbox's VoxEdit software, participants can bring characters like Daryl, Michone, and Rick to life or recreate memorable scenes from the series. To enter, creators must share a GIF on Twitter, tag @TheSandboxGame and @VoxEdit, and include the #VoxEditWeekly hashtag. The competition runs until May 14, with results announced on June 3 and prizes distributed to the top 10 contenders.
Turkey has taken a significant leap in its digital transformation by unveiling its first government office in the metaverse. The Communications Directorate, under the leadership of Fahrettin Altun, has become Turkey's inaugural public institution to establish a presence in the meta-universe. Accessible worldwide through mobile devices, this metaverse office is a part of the directorate's broader Web3 transformation and metaverse strategy. Turkey has been at the forefront of embracing Web3 technologies, joining the ranks of other progressive nations in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Altun emphasized the core values of truth and human-centeredness as crucial elements in the metaverse. With this move, Turkey aims to position itself as a global force within this emerging digital realm. The launch of the government office in the metaverse showcases Turkey's commitment to digital innovation and its recognition of the metaverse's growing influence on communication and governance.
China's Henan Cultural Tourism Investment Group has introduced a private fund worth $21.7 million to invest in metaverse projects. As a state-backed investment group, its objective is to integrate resources within the culture and tourism industry. The fund will primarily focus on developing virtual reality and the metaverse to enhance the digital competitiveness of the tourism and cultural sectors on an international scale. Henan province joins a growing list of regions in China embracing the metaverse. Their strategic plan aims to expand the metaverse industry to $440 million by 2025. The government-led initiatives showcase China's increasing interest in the metaverse as a key economic driver.