The managers of the cities with a great tourist attraction are investing a lot of money in virtual and augmented reality to make the experiences of the visitors who travel to the places of interest as satisfactory as possible. His goal is that, thanks to digital systems, people can enjoy not only the present, but also the past, and even the future in those same places.

This has been one of the most relevant conclusions of the ITB specialized conference, held at the end of March in Berlin. The technicians from the entertainment giant Disney were among the first to bet on immersive technology. One of its main promoters, Josh D’Amaro, used the concept of “next-generation storytelling” in this context.

Few spaces seem better prepared to explore this avenue than the Disney theme parks. However, the trend is not limited to childish fun. The charity that manages the unoccupied royal palaces in the UK has teamed up with a renowned provider, Layered Reality, to launch Gunpowder Plot, a project that allows you to follow a failed assassination plot in 1605 through a combination of virtual reality and live performance at the Tower of London.

Likewise, those in charge of the Singapore Tourism Board are striving to incorporate this innovation of the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions in their offer. According to its executive director, Keith Tan, in a session entitled Digital, personalized and open, they intend to increase the “wow factor” in their users in this way.

For example, right now they are focusing on Fort Siloso, a World War II fortification located on Sentosa, a 500-hectare island. “If someone goes there now, they won’t know what happened, they won’t know why it has historical interest. You only see the construction and its cannons. That’s a very poor experience,” Tan said. However, through virtual or augmented reality, you can learn a lot.

Of course, the correct functioning of 5G in this sense is essential. In addition, most analysts consider that the future of these teams will depend on artificial intelligence, which will be able to provide individual solutions even if the tour is being carried out in a group. It would be the paradox of tailor-made tourism during a collective itinerary, they resolve.