Category: Interactive Maps

Our team has made superb enhancements to the Visrez Interactive Maps & Floor Plan Builder tools. Here is a brief outline of what’s new.

   Use any Basemap Format

Our users can now create interactive maps using any existing illustration, graphic or aerial photograph. This opens up the Visrez platform to clients with no requirement for 3D map production. Clients can create interactive maps independently without any assistance from our team. Interactive maps can be based on any source graphic such as illustrations, elevations, 2D renderings or aerial drone photographs. The intuitive editor allows you to add markers, internal pages, photo galleries, links and calls to action. Once the map is ready just copy & paste the code into your page(s) to display the map across your website. Maps can also be shared using a direct link and all future changes made in Visrez appear automatically on the front end.

Location Maps with GPS Co-Ordinates 

Users can now add GPS co-ordinates to map markers and save them onto a geographic map similar to Google maps but without tracking or competitor information displaying in your site. This is a great enhancement as it means you can switch between the basemap and a geographical map by clicking on the layers. You can now add GPS co-ordinates into the marker settings so the location can be highlighed on a sattelite or graphical map within the Visrez application.

  

Display Building Floors as Layers  

Opening up a building to understand how the spaces flow together can now be done using the floor layers tool. This feature provides a great way of exploring inside a building by categorizing maps by internal floor layers. As the users switches floors in the side menu the application loads a different map layer for a detailed overview of each floor layout.

Embed Individual Map Markers in Pages  

A luxury villa rental client needed an interactive map to show the location of 200 villas in their portfolio. Rather than showing one map with multiple markers thy needed to display the map on each villa page showing only the location of that villa. Our team implemented advanced marker sharing so that each pin has its own unique shared link and embed code so multiple versions of the same map can be displayed throughout a site featuring one marker on loading.

Select Tool with Move & Rotate  

Our team has enhanced the select function with the move and rotate icons appearing automatically when an object is selected. This makes it so much easier to learn the builder tools as the key icons appear right away when you select an object in your plan.   

Projecting Lights in Event Plans   

A really cool feature allowing users to project various colour lighting onto walls, backdrops or drapes using our new cast lighting feature. Now you can cast coloured lights onto backdrop objects in the builder making plans even more realistic and really bringing them to life.

When Google maps launched in 2005 it was designed to help users get from point A to point B in the pre-smartphone age and quickly became ubiquitous as it was a giant step forward in terms of functionality. Over the years Google added many new features and provides a significant amount of information to its users but it was never designed as a sales and marketing tool. Based on conversations with Visrez users over the last couple of years it became clear they needed an alternative to Google Maps to demonstrate the on-site facilities and amenities of their resorts without showing competitors or unrelated businesses in their websites.

On-site visits are less common these days so giving decision makers the tools to understand your venue is more important than ever. An interactive property map can demonstrate the layout and facilities better than any other digital marketing tool. Video and lifestyle photography are great for selling the dream but neither demonstrates the layout and facilities like an interactive property map. Group and event planners conduct detailed research during venue selection and look past stylish visuals to get an understanding of exactly what a venue offers in terms of facilities and on-site amenities. Providing these key decision makers with an engaging property discovery tool sets your business apart especially if the competition is relying on pdfs and Cvent pages.

A new standard for Interactive Property Maps

Most websites run on WordPress or other platforms which offer thousands of templates that can be styled to match your brand. Interactive maps must be built from scratch. No templates exist because maps require a diverse range of skills such as design, 3D Modeling, Virtual Tours, Video and application development. Website vendors have some but not all of these capabilities in-house which may be the reason why static property maps are still common. Partnering with specialists to provide these services is an option but most vendors will stick to what they do best. Now, with the launch of our Interactive Property Map Builder, Visrez clients can have a fully customizable interactive map which can be managed by their team in house.

Visrez has produced hundreds of photorealistic 3D maps for resort and convention centers worldwide so this is our area of expertise. In our opinion 3D rendered maps are the best format because they present a visually accurate vision in a photorealistic style. Clients can decide what to show and more importantly what not to show (such as neighboring properties). Cameras can be generated from any position, angle or height and buildings can be separated to demonstrate internal floors. For pre-openings a 3D map is usually the first step in visualizing how the property will look and a vital asset for the team. Most importantly 3D Maps can be updated to match future renovations allowing you to demonstrate new developments well in advance of completion.

Fully Editable Interactive Map Builder

When we first discussed the product with clients one of the key requirements was that it should be fully editable by their team because there is no point having a superb map if you get charged every time you want to update it. Our team created a powerful tool with a back end to allow users to manage the content without our assistance. Users can add their own markers, pins, CTA buttons, links, photo carousels and videos. The intuitive map builder interface can be learnt quickly with training from the Visrez support team.

Categories can be created and organized in the main menu using a simple drag & drop editor. All changes appear immediately in the live map so the updates will be instant if the code has already been added to your website. The map can be shared directly with a link outside of your website and can be included in proposals and estimates shared with planners.

All Media Formats Supported

A lot of time and money goes into the production of photos, videos and virtual tours so we wanted to ensure that Visrez clients could use all their visual assets within the property map. Users can add YouTube videos, Matterport Virtual Tours or any other media content easily to the interactive maps just by pasting the code into the back end. Why should clients be restricted to only using content created by one supplier as supporting all media formats makes the interactive map an even more valuable resource for our clients.

Adding Interactive Maps to your Website

Adding the interactive map to your website is done by copying the map code from Visrez and pasting it into the source code of the page like Googe Maps. Visrez has released an API which uses the styling from your website so that the fonts, background colors and buttons in the map will blend with the site. Older formats such as iFrames are no longer supported as the API functionality allows your team to insert a single line of code to display the map. Most importantly if you switch website vendors the interactive map can go into your new site by adding the code to the page as a standalone asset which belongs to your resort or venue.  

Creating Multiple Custom Maps in Visrez

In conversations with clients one question came up so frequently that we decided it had to be added to the platform. Our users wanted to create individual property maps for specific groups or events which could be shared with clients privately during the sales and planning process. Say for example your team is bidding for a large event and needs to create a custom map just for that client’s event. Now you can copy an existing map, mark out the spaces which the client is reserving and share using a link without touching the property map on your site. This ability to easily create and share custom interactive maps greatly increases the value proposition of the application because clients can have as many custom maps as they want within their Visrez accounts.

Future Feature Releases

Our team has a roadmap of enhancements which will be added to the interactive map builder in monthly platform releases. As with all Visrez products there are no paid upgrades or additional fees. We maintain the same code across all client accounts because this makes it easier for our team to provide excellent customer support. Whether an account has one space or one hundred spaces activated on Visrez, they get the same platform, products and support.

To Learn more about Visrez Interactive Map Builder, please contact us.

Victoria Georgieva the head of Visrez Resort Maps team outlines the reasons why clients select Visrez as their 3D property maps partner and how our products help to transform the way they communicate their properties.

A Showcase Presentation

The 3D Resort Maps give you the opportunity to choose the perfect angle to showcase the facilities in the best possible way. You decide what part of the hotel to show and how to represented the surrounding area. Unlike drone photography if there are any unsightly areas you don’t want to present to the client, you can tone down these areas or remove them completely.

In the examples below you can see different ways the clients have chosen to focus on the hotel area, omitting any surroundings that could be distracting or unattractive. What you show on those maps is entirely up to you.

Futureproof Assets

Visrez 3D Maps can be updated at any time. Many of our clients have multiple versions of their maps which reflect the stages of expansion and renovations the resort has gone through. No other digital asset has the same flexibility as a 3D map making it a valuable investment for conference or leisure resorts of all sizes.

In the examples below you can see how outgoing expansions have been added to pre-existing maps.

In the next example you can see how the client has chosen to “remove” a building that is no longer part of the resort facilities – showcasing that it is still there, yet no longer available.

Pre-Opening & Construction Projects

A key asset for the sales team is the ability to showcase what the resort or property will look like before it opens. Having a stunning 3D render helps them generate interest and sell the resort long before it opens for business. Visrez has generated a large number of resort maps for pre-opening projects which to help the sales teams to generate interest while the properties are still in construction or under renovation.

These can be worked on over time as the areas get confirmed by the on-site teams. As you can see in the below example of a major renovation project at a historical resort. Our team can bring the plans to life long before the construction had been completed.

Modern Look & Feel

A lot of our clients say how much they love the aesthetic quality of Visrez maps when compared to flat drawings or black and white sketches. Visrez maps really bring resorts to life in a magical way because of the detail and definition we achieve in our products.

No Loss of Quality

As Visrez maps are rendered from actual 3D Models you can have close up of one area but also a huge view of entire resort without loosing any image quality. Visrez generates super high qulity files which allow users to zoom in on any building without any pixelation.

Multiple Views

Visrez renders various views of the hotel making sure each map offers another unique view of the facilities.

• 

• 

Created entirely off site

Our model of work is very flexible and can easily be adapted to the clients needs. Using simple plans and reference shots taken by a smart phone, Visrez has managed to render incredibly detailed maps. No sight visits are required.

Create your own Interactive Version

Coming soon to Visrez is an update which will allow clients to add their own markers to generate interactive maps which can be embedded in your site using one line of code.

Below is an example how others have used our maps to create their own markers.

Alternative to Google Maps

As a free resource Google Maps has revolutionized the way travel is researched online. From a business perspective, however, using google maps means that your competition or other unrelated businesses appear within your site which isn’t what you want when prospective customers are on your site. Moreover, Google maps don’t always allow a clear view of the area, especially for more remote resorts, and the images can often be dark, blurry and unattractive.

Below you can find a few examples where we compare Visrez 3D Maps to their Google Maps alternative.

Multiple Resolutions & Formats

Visrez maps can be outputted in multiple formats for online and print applications. Our platform can generate 10k resolution format which means the maps can be used across all platforms. If needed, we can also add legends and other annotations to your map.

Sell Outdoor Events with Visrez Floor Plan Builder

Once a 3D Resort or Property map has been produced our team can activate the individual outdoor or indoor event spaces as separate models in Visrez Floor Plan Builder. This allows client teams to create & share their own custom 3D Event Plans using a exact replica of the outdoor space and furniture inventory. Our 3D diagramming software is the only application of its kind where users can create their own plans using a 3D editor and select from a library of over 6,000 pieces of event furniture.

Dedicated and Passionate Team

We are happy to answer all your questions and help you get the map you need. We offer multiply rounds of revisions and communicate openly with each client in order to understand their needs and requirements. Visrez is widely recognized as the industry leader in 3D Visualization for the travel, hospitality and leisure markets with over 10,000 spaces activated in our platform globally.