Arctur receives Silver Prize for Innovation by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia!

5. 6. 2019 / Heritage Arctur's team, working on applying advanced technologies in the field of cultural heritage was awarded Silver Prize for Innovation at the annual ceremony by the Northern Primorska Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

There are more than 300.000 monuments of immovable cultural heritage in Slovenia alone. They are spread accross the country, in various states of preservation – from »touristically occupied« to almost unknown, hidden and too often in decay. Despite local, national and sometimes even international importance of such cultural heritage, its stories and messages are not heard by many.

Secondly, audiences have changed dramatically. Youngsters between 16 and 25 years old spend on average more than 34 hours per week online - which is double than a decade ago. Moreover, the use of technologies is not restricted only to young people - even the oldest generations are adopting them rather quickly. As technologies evolve (augmented reality, artificial intelligence, ...) physical and digital worlds are merging. Mixed reality is becoming our reality fast.

 

Nowadays, we cannot imagine travel without digital technologies - e.g. internet and mobile phones. While travelling, the internet is not only a source of information, but increasingly a source of inspiration. Yet, as photos, websites and social media profile have become a part of the standard promotion kit, museums, galleries, archives and heritage monuments need new, more advanced tactics to truly grab the attention of potential visitors and interact with its constituencies.

Can advanced technology help here? At Arctur, we believe so. As pioneers of advanced technologies in Central and Southeast Europe, we have already gained several experiences of working with heritage institutions and bringing the cultural heritage monuments to the forefront – from international research projects on digital tools for citizen science (giving people the tools to document local intangible cultural heritage)  to developing virtual museums, 3D models, drone videos, 360° photos and tours, and 3D simulations of reconstructions. Through our activities we have helped public, private and non-governmental organisations to bridge the digital skills gap, shape digital solutions that engage new types of visitors and transmit the message of cultural heritage in digital ways.

                           

To boost the use of advanced technologies in preservation and promotion of cultural heritage we have initiated the Heritage+ programme, a sub-field of Tourism 4.0 initiative that combines advanced technologies, knowledge and skills development, as well as strategy development and agenda-setting. We understand that for rich heritage not to remain in depots, in glass boxes and dusty monographs, new knowledge, skills, digital solutions and community are needed. Tourism 4.0 Heritage+ is an innovative approach to creating new enriched tourist experiences based on cultural heritage. For this, advanced technologies (360° photo and video, Augmented Reality, 3D scanning, modelling and printing, simulated reconstruction …), hybrid skills of digital business model development, and strategic planning of digital transformation are used. The programme is an awarded social innovation, answering to the need of society and local communities for sustainable development, the transmission of heritage values and strengthening a sense of belonging.

We believe that with a broad implementation of this approach, Slovenia will become a leading example in regard to digitally enriched tourist experiences of cultural heritage.

Are you active in the field of heritage digitalisation? Follow our activities by subscribing to the Heritage+ newsletter or contact us or more information.