Virtual Berlin for expats

Press Release: ExpatFinder.com & 3D Mirror World Twinity create First Expat Virtual Relocation Service

ExpatFinder.com and Twinity.com offer the first virtual relocation service with pre-arrival tours of virtual Berlin and expatriate meetings to help relocating individuals, expatriates and their families.

Singapore/Berlin, November 2009 – ExpatFinder.com, the Singapore-headquartered worldwide website today launched the first supportive virtual world relocation service to help expats and relocating individuals prior to their relocation or during their life overseas.

(Photo courtesy Expat.com and Twinity.)
(Photo courtesy ExpatFinder.com and Twinity.)

The collaboration with Metaversum GmbH, the makers of 3D mirror world Twinity, allows the team to create custom made tours of the “real world” like the virtual city of Berlin. Twinity is bringing the real and the virtual world closer together by building realistic replicas of the world’s most vibrant cities in 3D.

Those considering to move to real Berlin can now join free pre arrival tours and expat meet ups organized in a designated area of its virtual counterpart. From a home or office computer, expats and their families can download a free guide, meet at a personal guided tour and get an idea of the layout of the city, the distances involved and the amenities in the new location before they arrive. With Twinity expats can become acquainted with local networking groups and community meet-ups prior to arrival.

Pre-arrival tours of host destinations are already an established relocation tool and popular with expats and their families as a means of familiarizing themselves with their new location, but the partnership offers the chance to get a feel for a city or neighborhood without leaving home. Expats, their employers, service providers and local companies all have something to gain from the true to scale virtual world experience.

“As ExpatFinder.com is now one of the leading consumer resources for expats and relocation services on the internet, it was normal for us to explore new platforms to serve our users. Virtual Worlds like Twinity, are no longer the realm of gamers; they have become an important tool for a wider audience. Virtual Worlds now also have a role to play in expat relocation,” said Sébastien Deschamps, CEO ExpatFinder.com.

At a time when companies are cutting costs on expat packages in the real world, a realistic 3D mirror world like Twinity offers employers a cost effective set of tools to support new expat employees. The collaboration between ExpatFinder.com and Twinity also provides employers with an inexpensive means of involving an employee’s partner and children in the pre-arrival process of an expat assignment.

“Getting family members on board at an early stage of the relocation is crucial to the success of the overseas assignment; a lack of commitment from the family or partner is often the reason why a stint overseas fails,” explained ExpatFinder.com co-founder Sébastien Deschamps.

Using Twinity’s virtual world as a relocation tool adds another dimension to the expat experience and can provide expats with a powerful tool to help with their relocation and settling in to a new life abroad. ExpatFinder.com is already leading the way by helping consumers compare, connect and learn about products and services from hundreds of relevant providers. With Twinity, the company adds a new dimension and experience to connect with and learn about the new environment in which the expatriate will evolve: its destination city.

“We have been looking into virtual and augmented reality for some time now and it made great sense for us to partner with Twinity. As the first and leading virtual world focusing purely on “real people and real places”, their expertise will surely help us deliver a greater experience to relocating individuals, their families and employers.”

The mirror world Twinity is currently in public Beta. You can register for free at www.twinity.com and begin exploring the world today.

About ExpatFinder.com

French and French-American co-founders Francois and Sébastien Deschamps manage a portfolio of websites for the expatriates around the world. ExpatFinder.com was created to bring support to people and families in global transition or with international lifestyles. ExpatFinder.com is already the leading website in helping consumers compare, connect and learn about products and services from hundreds of relevant providers that are important during relocation or life abroad. ExpatFinder.com is managed by their co-founded Singapore based company: Interexpat Pte Ltd.. For more information visit: http://www.expatfinder.com

About Twinity.com

Metaversum develops and operates the 3D mirror world Twinity. The vision behind Twinity is to bring the real and the virtual world closer together by building realistic replicas of the world’s most vibrant cities in 3D. Berlin and Singapore have already launched in Twinity, with London set to join them soon. Twinity members can create a personal avatar, explore real cities virtually, move into a 3D home, chat with friends, work, get creative, or just have fun together.

Twinity offers businesses new ways of engaging with real people in real virtual cities. Through virtual shops and branded presences, inworld ad campaigns, product placements, and real and virtual sponsored events, Twinity lets you enter into a genuine, emotive dialog with your target group. Twinity is currently in public Beta and open for business. Founded in July 2006 and financed by leading venture capital firms, Metaversum has offices in Berlin, Singapore, Kiev, and Potsdam. More information can be found at www.metaversum.com and www.twinity.com.