From a traveler’s perspective, the “like a local” scam-like promise still works. From the tourism industry perspective, it’s time we moved on. However, every year at the Web Summit, there are still many startups trying to sell the same concept.
Guys, it’s rehashed, unappealing, unoriginal. You’re only adding to the noise. But, I’m guessing, while there is demand, there will be an offer, right?
So allow me to shift everyone’s attention from the instagrammable locations and the authentic experiences (none of them real, by the way).
At the Web Summit 2017, every travel startup under the sun was focusing on sustainable tourism. The year after that, I browsed many B2B-centered travel startups, and I wasn’t that impressed with the ones that focused on improving the tourist experience. As a matter of fact, I listed only four travel startups at the Web Summit 2018 that I actually had high hopes for.
While AR (Augmented Reality) is already a given in the gaming industry, I came across startups that were using that technology to enhance the travel experience for the first time this year.
The good news? No need for fancy equipment, just your smartphone.
From Tunisia, Histori-AR proposes an “enhanced immersive cultural tourism” experience on your smartphone, recreating historical sites.
Seeing things as they were on location (think Roman Ruins in Rome or the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris) could be a smart way of cultural tourists connecting with their destination.
Why could virtual cultural experiences be a good thing for tourism? I believe seeing the before and after of a site could prevent further decline (caused mostly by overtourism) by making tourists more conscious of their negative impact.