This document discusses how virtual tourism through video and social media can overcome problems with traditional eco-tourism models and become a sustainable way to experience and conserve rare environments. It proposes several virtual tourism projects involving livestreaming underwater SCUBA diving expeditions in the Indian Ocean and setting up wildlife webcam streams. These virtual experiences could generate revenue through advertising, licensing to TV networks, and future subscriptions to support conservation efforts with less environmental impact than physical tourism.

2. Video and Social is taking over

3. The next BIG thing

4. The current eco-tourism business model
has real problems …
• Conflict between revenue and impact.
• To grow the business you must damage the asset.
• As wilderness becomes rarer so it is worth more.
• Therefore it must generate more to 'pay its way'.
• Politics and logistics limit the wildest places.

5. Virtual tourism is the future of
conservation!
• Reduced environmental impact
• Revenue can scale
• Overcomes politics and lack of infrastructure
• Supports physical tourism

6. So why does it work?
• The guest is the viewer, and they come first. Service is still No.1
• They want a real experience, not a TV show, thats why its LIVE.
• Telepresence, Interactivity and 3D - how to enhance and use them.
• A sense of anticipation, escape and 'connectedness'
• Building community ...

7. Revenue
• Internet advertising – low risk, but not big
profits … usually.
• TV licensing – contractual annuity income,
which makes investment possible
• … in the future … subscription!

8. What's the model?
It's an ecosystem of partnerships between specialists.

The producer – safari.tv – 50% of net revenue

The platform - WildEarth– 50% of net revenue

The pay tv operator – e.g. Freebox, Zon, etc.

The distributor – including local agents– 35% of gross revenue

9. What about theWhat about the
ocean?ocean?

10. • This is a perfect virtual tourism project. Why?
• No competition … yet
• Its rare and endangered and cannot withstand massive utilisation
• Its escapist … and very relaxing … just like a safari
• Not everyone can, or will, SCUBA dive in their lives … this way they
can.

11. • LIVE 3DHD presenter lead SCUBA dives in the Indian Ocean
• 1 x 120 minute shows daily
• Broadcast on WildEarth's 3DTV channel
• 100% of the content belongs to the producer
• About $200,000 capital required to set it up … that buys the 15%
equity
• 50% of all net revenue, rather than a production fee, so this company
builds value for it's shareholders through contractual annuity income

12. Waterhole webcams
• Not premium, but very low cost
• Not TV but strong Internet marketing potential
• Excellent community/social opportunities
• Revenue should cover costs at least
• Compliments existing physical tourism
• … other examples of webcams

13. Become an advertiser
• WildEarth is the first full time 3DTV channel
• Available to 4.6 million TV households in France,
1 million 3D viewers in Turkey, 600,000 in
Portugal soon … with many more operators in the
coming 6 months …
• Why WE can't run just any commercial
• Country and area commercials – like on CNN
• Infomercials – e.g. 'preparing for your safari'
• Pre roll ads on the web

14. graham@wildearth.tv