Expedia Uses Virtual Reality to Transport St. Jude Children’s Hospital Patients to Dream Destinations

How many times have you watched a Make-A-Wish commercial or that damn Sarah McLachlan animal cruelty spot and cried? A million? Us too. Truth is, there are so many kids with heartbreaking illnesses that will never get to live out the life they deserve to have. That’s why online travel agency Expedia partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and 180LA to create the “Dream Adventures” campaign.

Similar to Make-A-Wish, the “Dream Adventures” campaign gives kiddos with cancer the opportunity to live out their wildest dreams in virtual reality. digging up dinosaur fossils, getting their Mogli on with jungle monkeys, and swimming with ocean fishies—baby, it’s hotter unda da watah!

Using a 360-degree camera, interactive live-streaming, and a huge virtual reality screening room, kids get to go on a Dream Adventure to the deepest corners of their imagination. Their reactions are precious, and it reminds us how magical and transformative travel really is, which of course, is Expedia’s goal.

Seeing the world through these children’s eyes is a heartwarming way to entice people to travel. Expedia’s “Dream Adventure” campaign simultaneously brings smiles to little kids’ faces while reminding the rest of us that life is short and we should take advantage of any opportunity to travel. Where would your “Dream Adventure” take you?