Welcome to the fourth installment of Gaming the Future of Travel. This time, we spotlight Simulator games—a genre that blends realism, repetition, and progression into incredibly immersive digital experiences.

From piloting planes to managing resorts, Simulator games are how Gen Z learns, plays, and prepares to explore the real world. And for tourism brands, they’re a powerful on-ramp into virtual marketing.

🔄 What Is a Simulator Game?

Simulator games are built around one idea: doing something real, virtually.

✅ Drive a car ✅ Fly a plane ✅ Operate a cruise ship ✅ Manage a hotel ✅ Explore a city

These games teach skills, reward mastery, and create deeply engaging experiences rooted in real-world scenarios.

✈️ Why Simulators Matter for Tourism & Travel

Simulator games are a perfect match for travel brands because they mimic many real-world tourism roles:

• 🧳 Guest experiences (hotels, resorts)
• 🛫 Transportation (airlines, airports, cruise ships)
• 🗺️ Exploration (city tours, regional adventures)
• 💼 Hospitality roles (pilots, guides, chefs, crew)

Whether it’s onboarding a new traveler or gamifying the travel journey, simulators train users to dream, plan, and play around real destinations.

🔝 Top Simulator Games on Roblox – And What Travel Brands Can Learn

1. Airplane Simulator

📍 By Fat Whale Games A highly detailed aviation experience where players can pilot planes, taxi on runways, and fly across islands.

✅ Best Practices:

• Realistic controls + physics
• Tiered unlocks (airports, aircraft, regions)
• Variety in mission types (transport, training, rescue)

🎯 Tourism Angle: Perfect for airlines or aviation museums. ✈️ Could simulate flying into real destinations (think “Arrive in Dubai” or “Land in Mykonos”).

🧠 Developer lead: @thesquidthatfly (creator behind Fat Whale Games)

2. Cabin Crew Simulator

📍 By Cruising Studios Players work as flight attendants—greeting passengers, serving food, handling turbulence, and managing emergencies.

✅ Best Practices:

• Highly social with roleplaying elements
• Encourages teamwork
• Progression via in-game airline reputation

🎯 Tourism Angle: Excellent onboarding tool for airlines or hospitality training simulations. Could also showcase in-flight amenities and promote loyalty tiers.

3. Cruise Ship Tycoon (Sim/Tycoon Hybrid)

📍 By Cruise Inc Run a cruise line from the bridge—build, customize, and operate your ship while managing guest happiness.

✅ Best Practices:

• Upgrade mechanics (rooms, spas, attractions)
• Resource management
• Player freedom in design and function

🎯 Tourism Angle: Cruise lines can pre-build branded experiences that mirror real-world itineraries. Think “Sail the Med” or “Build Your Dream Cruise.”

4. Driving Empire

📍 By Wayfort Studios A visually rich, open-world driving simulator where players buy, customize, and race cars across massive maps.

✅ Best Practices:

• Realistic cities and terrain
• Extensive progression systems
• Cross-platform, multiplayer optimized

🎯 Tourism Angle: Ideal for city DMOs or country-level tourism boards. Let players drive through a gamified version of a real destination (i.e., “Cruise through California Wine Country”).

👥 Creative Director: @peroxide_RBLX

5. Resort Simulator / Hotel Empire Concepts

📍 By Various Creators These simulation games allow players to manage hospitality businesses—checking in guests, cleaning rooms, managing upgrades.

✅ Best Practices:

• Role-based mechanics (desk clerk, bellhop, concierge)
• Reward loops tied to customer satisfaction
• Expansion of property and services

🎯 Tourism Angle: Obvious fit for hotels and resorts. Let players explore real-world properties before they book—digitally.

🧠 Why Simulator Games Work for Gen Z Travelers

• They teach skills – from hospitality to logistics
• They mimic real-world roles – helping build aspiration and familiarity
• They’re immersive – the gameplay loop mirrors a traveler’s journey

More than a game genre, Simulators are Gen Z’s digital apprenticeship in global experiences.

🛠️ Best Practices for Building Simulator Games in Travel

✔️ Start with a real-world action: flying, checking in, navigating ✔️ Layer in career progression: ranks, rewards, unlocks ✔️ Use realistic visuals and sound ✔️ Gamify learning (i.e., what to pack, how to explore) ✔️ Include roleplay to enhance shareability and retention

🧭 Travel Use Cases

• ✈️ Airlines: pilot/cabin crew sims
• 🏨 Hotels: guest & manager gameplay
• 🚢 Cruise lines: design-your-voyage format
• 🚌 Tour operators: route and guide sims
• 🌆 Cities: driving or exploration-focused simulation

💬 Want to Explore a Simulator for Your Brand?

If you’re in travel, tourism, or hospitality—simulators are the perfect fusion of storytelling and utility. Let us help you bring your destination or service to life.

📩 DM me for a free 1-hour consultation. 📌 And be sure to follow Destinate on LinkedIn to catch the next edition.

📚 Missed an Edition?

• 🎡 Tycoon Games – Building a Tourism Empire
• 🧗 Obbies – Turning Destinations into Parkour Courses
• 🎮 Series Kickoff – Core Gameplay Loops and Genres on Roblox