The immersive experiences include a motorcycle race, even a roller coaster which soars over the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadero esplanade.

"Since virtual reality has developed, I have liked the concept and have followed this technology closely," said Taha, a Syrian engineer and tech buff who has resided in Luxembourg since 2013. “I want to introduce people to things they haven't seen in the past.”

The entrepreneur aims to present some of his tools to the education ministry--particularly those which involve discovering the solar system and exploring the farthest realms of the galaxy. In fact, school groups are among the site's target audience, as are companies wanting to organise parties and families for outings.

Minister for the middle classes Lex Delles (DP) got a closer look on Thursday evening during the site’s official opening.

Covid effects

Taha on one of the machines at the VR Park Photo: Maison Moderne 

Visitors must wear a mask at VR Park, and four of the eight employees ensure the disinfection of the VR headsets and machines. These come straight from China, a country where Taha has developed a network of suppliers.

Taha signed the lease on 16 March for the 500m² space located near the Square Mile, but the confinement period delayed the opening, originally scheduled for August. By now, most of the site is ready, with two exceptions: the restaurant will open later, and the 7D cinema still requires the arrival of Chinese technicians to finalise its commissioning. 

But Taha remains enthusiastic about the park, his second entrepreneurial project in Luxembourg. The 37-year-old, who fled Syria ten years ago with his family, founded Techno-Tick in 2016, a company specialising in smartphone repair, which has a store in Ettelbruck.

For the VR Park, expect to pay around 5 euros per attraction. Packages can be developed for events. 

“We would like to grow more, but I don't know if it will be possible to create another VR Park in Luxembourg,” the founder says. “But maybe elsewhere in Europe, why not?” 

This article was originally published in French on Paperjam.lu and has been translated and edited for Delano.