XRTourGuide - XR Experiences for Rural Communities

The 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.

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Coming Soon

Date to be announced.

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Coming Soon

Date to be announced.

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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 Us

Stay tuned for details on community involvement and platform access.