The Croatian VR application for the hospitality sector, VR Hotelo, has launched a new tourist-educational VR game, roller CROaster, unique on the European hospitality market, which innovatively combines entertainment, education, and the promotion of Croatia’s cultural heritage. The game is already available in several Croatian hotels, with further content development planned.
roller CROaster is an XR (extended reality) adaptation of the globally popular roller coaster game concept, tailored for the tourism sector—primarily hotels and resorts seeking to enhance guest experience through modern digital solutions. In the game, hotel guests take a virtual train journey through Croatia, traveling from south to east and visiting Dubrovnik, Split, Šibenik, Zadar, Rijeka, Opatija, Pula, Zagreb, Sisak, and Vukovar.
Each city represented by a cultural landmark
Each city is presented through its most recognizable cultural or historical landmark, such as the Dubrovnik City Walls, the Church of St. Donatus, Diocletian’s Palace, the Pula Arena, Zagreb Cathedral, or the Vukovar Water Tower. As the train approaches each destination, it slows down while a virtual host—available in Croatian or English—shares a brief story about the city and the landmark being passed.
Upon arrival at the final stop in Vukovar, users take part in an interactive quiz consisting of ten questions that assess the knowledge gained during the virtual journey. This gives the game a clear educational dimension, teaching visitors about Croatian culture and concluding with a comprehensive experience of Croatia’s cultural and historical values, along with a final personal score for each player.
Developed by Croatian XR expertise
The game was developed by the XR team of XRPG Reality d.o.o., and roller CROaster is an integral part of the VR Hotelo application, which has been under development for two years as a next-generation digital experience for the hospitality sector. The particular value of this gaming project lies in the combination of original 3D models of Croatian cultural landmarks with a roller coaster concept and an integrated educational quiz—an approach that, in this form, has not previously been present on the Croatian market nor on the wider European market.
From a technical perspective, roller CROaster is a 360-degree, first-person VR experience that fully immerses users in a virtual journey through Croatia. The game does not require VR controllers; instead, content is navigated through head and eye movement, making the experience accessible to a broad range of users, including those without prior VR experience. Development took several months and included continuous testing focused on stability, ergonomics, and user experience in a hotel environment. The technical setup enables seamless integration into the existing VR Hotelo system and allows for future content and feature upgrades.
Developed in cooperation with the Faculty of Tourism in Opatija
The game was developed in cooperation with the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management in Opatija, as part of a project led by Dr. Vedran Zubović. Within a two-year scientific research project at the University of Rijeka, the impact of VR technology on hotel guest satisfaction is being examined, with roller CROaster representing one segment of the content available to hotel guests.
“By focusing on content quality and its application in real-world environments, we are developing tourism concepts and expanding access to XR technology for a broader market. roller CROaster is part of a larger VR system we have been developing for more than two years, and its value for guests in Croatia is multifaceted—from education to an innovative destination experience. I am particularly pleased that the game has already been implemented in the first three high-category hotels, with additional system deployments planned for early 2026,” said Ante Fumić, Head of the VR Hotelo application team at XRPG Reality d.o.o.
roller CROaster is designed as a foundation for further development, including the addition of new cities, further improvements in content quality and virtual environments, and the expansion of educational and interactive elements. Interest from neighboring markets for developing similar solutions inspired by the Croatian roller CROaster has already been expressed.
More information is available at the official website: vrhotelo.com.
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