Can't decide between vacationing in the hot and arid deserts of Dubai or the freezing Arctic tundra? Then you may want to head to Stockholm’s Arlanda airport where an innovative climate portal allows travelers to experience worldwide weather with just a touch of a button.
The portal, which will be open to visitors until the end of August offers visitors three choices — "Go Hot," "Go Cold," or "Go Big." The first two allows travelers to experience destinations with extreme climates while the third transports them to metropolitan cities like London or Hong Kong.
The portal begins by retrieving the stipulated destination's most recent climate data from weather stations around the world. The conditions are then re-created with the help of temperature controllers and wind generators. Appropriate sound effects and images complete the experience allowing the visitor to imagine that he/she is actually at the desired location.
For example, visitors wanting to experience the weather in Reykjavik, Iceland, will feel the chill of cold northern winds, hear the barking of the Greenland huskies and also see the country's icy landscape. Those that "Go Big," may feel the sweltering summer temperatures in Mumbai, India, and hear the constant honking by frustrated drivers trying to make their way across the city's congested roads.
Yvonne Boe, the Communications Manager of Stockholm Airport, calls the portal a "direct link to the whole world." She believes it prepares passengers for their journey and ensures that they have all the right gear they need, to enjoy the perfect vacation!
Resources: gizmag.com, cnn.com, accuweather.com