XRTourGuide
Guiding Real-Life Experiences with Community-Driven XR Content
Enriching reality with immersive media insights using Extended Reality (XR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to empower rural communities.
Discover HowThe Challenge in Rural Areas
Many regions rich in cultural heritage face significant hurdles that limit tourism, community involvement, and local opportunities.
Access Difficulties
Cultural sites in many rural areas struggle to remain open and accessible. Chronic staff shortages make it hard to keep museums, historical buildings, and visitor centers operating, while minimal or deteriorating infrastructure (paths, signage, lighting) further discourages attendance.
Insufficient Essential Services
Basic visitor amenities—such as restrooms, seating, shelter, and refreshments—are often missing or in disrepair in village centers. Without these fundamental comforts, tourists are less inclined to stay, explore, and engage with local heritage.
Low Visibility & Weak Regional Identity
These communities frequently lack strong branding or promotional efforts. As a result, the area remains “off the map” for most travelers. There’s no unified narrative or image to draw visitors in, leading to under‑utilization of rich cultural and natural assets.
Poor Dissemination of Local Information
Even when interesting sites exist, details about their history, significance, and practical visiting tips are hard to find. Limited distribution channels and fragmented information hinder both residents’ and tourists’ awareness of what the territory has to offer.
Our Solution: XRTourGuide Platform
An online platform empowering communities to create and share immersive XR virtual tours, enhancing real-world exploration.
Authoring Platform
A web-based tool allowing users (citizens, organizations) to easily create XR tours with text, images, audio, video, and 3D models.
Mobile Application
A multi-platform app for users to discover and experience tours. Point your phone at objects (paintings, buildings, landscapes) to unlock rich media insights.
Community Co-Creation
Developed in collaboration with rural communities (starting with Bussento, Lambro, Mingardo) through the Active Rural Community Working Group (ARCO-WG).
Key Features
Leveraging cutting-edge technology for engaging experiences.
Extended Reality (XR)
Augmenting real-world views with interactive digital content.
AI-Powered Recognition
Visual Tagging module identifies objects (art, buildings, nature) to trigger relevant content.
Multimodal Content
Supports text, audio, video, images, and 3D models for rich insights.
Cloud-Native Platform
Scalable and accessible web-based authoring tool.
Gamification Elements
Encouraging user engagement and social sharing within the mobile app.
Multi-Language Support
Making tours accessible to a wider, international audience.
Example Use Cases
Demonstrating the versatility of XRTourGuide in the pilot region (Bussento, Lambro, Mingardo).
Nilus Trail
Highlighting the historical route of Saint Nilus, increasing awareness of art, nature, and faith landmarks in the Byzantine Cilento (UNESCO site).
Morigerati Heritage
Showcasing the Ethnographic Museum's collection, emphasizing local traditions and targeting diverse audiences.
MushroomMate
Identifying local mushroom species and sharing traditional recipes, promoting food culture and knowledge transfer.
Events
Discover upcoming and past events related to XRTourGuide and rural innovation.
Be part of the Active Rural Community Working Group for the XRTourGuide - FUTURAL project
Metodologie e strumenti digitali per la conservazione e la valorizzazione culturale e informativa del territorio.
Our Partners
A collaborative effort bringing together expertise in technology, heritage, and community engagement.
Università degli Studi di Salerno (UNISA)
Expertise in Cloud/Edge Computing, AI, VR, and project coordination.
Picaresque S.R.L.
Specialists in historical/serious games, development, and exploitation.
Comunità Montana Bussento Lambro e Mingardo (CMBLM)
Pilot rural community partner, facilitating citizen engagement and ARCO-WG.
Expected Impact
Creating social and economic value by leveraging local knowledge and assets.
Boost Tourism
Increase visitor flow year-round by offering new, engaging tours.
Engage Community
Raise cultural awareness and encourage citizen participation.
Stimulate Economy
Generate local job opportunities in content creation and tourism.
Promote Sustainability
Support sustainable tourism and preserve cultural/natural heritage.
Learn More & Get Involved
XRTourGuide is currently under development within the FUTURAL project. Follow our progress and discover how XR can transform rural tourism.
Project Page Contact UsStay tuned for details on community involvement and platform access.
