The southwestern town of Paphos and Spain’s Seville, designated 2023 European Capitals of Smart Tourism, will be the main attraction at the ITB Berlin exhibition’s Hall 20, promoting a form of tourism that is “accessible, digital, sustainable and creative.”
The two popular destinations will feature at stand 303 during one of the world’s leading tourist exhibitions on March 7 to 9.
For tourists, the ‘ECoST’ designation means better experiences, while for locals, it means they can make the most out of their city, as well as better jobs, and, for the environment, it means a greener future.
The European Capital of Smart Tourism is an EU initiative that aims to promote smart tourism in the EU by rewarding cities for their pioneering smart tourism approaches in accessibility, digitalisation, sustainability, and cultural heritage and creativity.
Built on the successful experience of a preparatory action proposed by the European Parliament, the initiative seeks to foster innovative, sustainable, and inclusive tourism development, as well as spread and facilitate the exchange of best practices.
QR-code smart signs
In the case of Paphos, tourists can take a deep dive into the town’s history thanks to QR-code enabled smart signs that have replaced old static information signs.
These are dotted around town and guide visitors with interactive tours, offering descriptions, audio and video content in all languages.
To date, over 30 static signs in different geographic locations.
Furthermore, Paphos can be a dry place, so to ensure resources are used efficiently, the municipality has installed a smart and integrated water management system. It is already proving to be a huge success, with reductions in water loss and unpriced water of up to 20%.
In the Andalusian capital of Seville, celebrations and festivals are being made fully accessible thanks to the SEVILLE ACCESSIBLE app. This tool entails integrated maps and routes, as well as noiseless schedules. It also points towards the most accessible attractions, suitable for people of all abilities.
Also, the Kleos App is remixing species, spaces and music in the green areas of Seville. The app provides a soundtrack, containing musical excerpts specifically created for certain plants and areas in the city. This means users can go for a walk and listen to a playlist that has been expertly curated for their surroundings.
To secure a one on one meeting with the capitals at ITB Berlin, visitors can book an appointment by sending a request to [email protected] .
