In the age of technology, almost every industry is getting a digital makeover – and tourism is no different. So, let’s take a look at just a few technologies allowing places to offer smart tourism experiences.
Live Streaming
Source: Pixabay
Whilst tourism can be great for the local economy, increased footfall can have a negative effect on the environment. This is particularly important for areas of conservation or protected land. With this in mind, live streamed experiences can allow people to virtually visit these areas without impacting the environment. Live streaming has been providing digital experiences in entertainment for aeons. Just take something like online casinos – while browsing casino guides you’ll find a wide range of live streamed gameplay such as poker, bingo, blackjack, and more. By using live streaming technology, players can interact with the host and other players in real time, making for an immersive and authentic casino experience.
This same logic, then, can be applied to tourist experiences. For example, there are many walking trails and hikes in and around Leamington Spa and the Warwickshire countryside that are known for their idyllic and peaceful ambience – something that increased numbers of walkers can counteract. Instead, live streaming can allow walking enthusiasts and other tourists alike to experience the views, without having to even step foot on the trails. This can provide viewers with an authentic experience, whilst also protecting the environment.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) uses technology to create an immersive digital environment that users can interact with in real time. This can also be coupled with augmented reality (AR), which imposes digital elements onto the real world. Both VR and AR are becoming increasingly popular in the world of tourism, as it allows audiences the opportunity to experience historic buildings and artefacts in a new way.
This technology has already been utilised by tourism boards in Warwick, the road paved by the historic Reality in Virtual Reality Windows into the Past exhibition back in 2022. Buildings like The Lord Leycester Hospital and Warwick Castle, monuments like Randolph Turpin’s statue, and artefacts from Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum were all scanned using photogrammetry and edited into interactive 3D models, allowing visitors the opportunity to experience historic Warwick in a unique way.
Source: Pixabay
GPS-Driven Audio
Tourists can often benefit from guided tours to fully experience their destination. Traditionally, group tours can be infinitely more informative, but restrictive for your schedule. On the other hand, self-guided tours are more flexible, but they rely on the tourist to choose the right information for the right location, which can be stressful. But, that’s where GPS-driven audio tours can be a great alternative.
These tours use GPS tracking to monitor exactly where the tourist is during their tour. When the tourist arrives at any specific spot noted on the digital map, this automatically plays the relevant audio clip which gives more information on the history and background of the site. This allows tourists more freedom in their explorations, whilst also eliminating the need for intervention and therefore reducing the risk of human error.
As you can see, these are just three examples of technologies allowing tourist destinations to offer smart, digitally-enhanced experiences. With these technologies, tourists can experience historic and cultural locations in an immersive, unique way.
