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For the last session of Day 2 at X Design Week, Daniel Ferrer, CEO of eXplorins joined us for a fireside chat on Tourism 4.0 and emerging digital solutions in tourism and travel.

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Daniel began by reflecting on eXplorins and their experience with digitalisation methods. eXplorins is an interactive app and a creative hubthat offers offline and online experiences for users to interact with cities. As Daniel explained, the initiative behind eXplorins has been to promote culture and support artists and creative talents. Facilitating social and economic participation and inclusivity has been a core part of eXplorins. The initial idea for eXplorins was to employ technology in a way to give visitors to the city access to the destination offerings, including lesser-known parts of the city. eXplorins app experiences are highly intertwined with gamification and playfulness as part of destination experiences.

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To get visitors to lesser parts of the city, eXplorins involved the local community who bring added value to destination experiences and are familiar with the city and its hidden gems. eXplorins intervene spaces using AR, which has been a great motivation for artists to collaborate with them and showcase their work. From the user perspective, the experiences are thoroughly delivered through the app allowing access and interaction in linear and non-linear storytelling approaches. Daniel explained that whilst the app encourages users to visit lesser-known places, the intention is not to compete with prominent attractions. Instead, the aim is to introduce other locations to visitors in addition to what is already known.

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eXplorins have also embarked on the NFT journey. Daniel commented that, from their perspective, NFTs create a participatory approach and offer transparency and authenticity in developing experiences. eXplorins projects using NFTs includes neighbourhood activities by creating wallets and inviting local to take part in the activities. They also familiarise artists with NFTs, so it becomes less fictional and more tangible for them and so that artists feel comfortable entering the NFTs world. One thing to remember is that NFTs are not only about cryptocurrencies. We are seeing the emergence of utility NFTs, blocks that are related to other aspects of a chain that can be fed and grown.

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To conclude, Daniel mentioned that having experience with AR and NFTs, opportunities exist to connect the two, detach the local aspect of the experience and develop it further globally. It could support democratising models and addressing sustainability and equity.