Table of Contents:

Introduction 3


1. Augmented reality and Tourism industry4


2. Best augmented reality applications in tourism...6

3. Augmented reality city tours8

4. Porto case...10



Conclusions.13
Bibliography............................................................................................15



2


Introduction. Latest communication and informational technologies have had a significant impact
on the tourism industry (Buhalis and Law, 2008), recent informational technologies became part of
the entire journey throughout tourists use technologies to generate richer experiences (Gretzel and
Jamal, 2009).
Technology advance have transformed the way in which tourism services are produced and
consumed, companies are seeking unique and personalized experience in order to meet the needs of
contemporary consumers. A contemporary consumer of tourism products is a permanently evolving
individual, who with his available technology and knowledge is tending to maximize its need for a
product (Neuhofer, Buhalis, Ladkin, 2013).
Invisible, attentive and adaptive technologies that provide tourists with adequate service and
information is no longer a vision from the future, new augmented reality software, combined with
the achievements from hardware industry (smartphones, smart cameras, augmented reality devices)
have reviewed the consumers experience from a destination. However the effective and usable
design is still in its developing period and the user acknowledgment as wheel as its share in the
tourism market is constantly depending on the informational and technology innovations and
tourism industry awareness (Yovcheva, Buhalis, Gatzidis, 2012).
Because of the rising competition between destinations and tourism attractions, the implementation
and development of more advanced and user friendly augmented reality interfaces could be the
winning point for the tourists choice, as they will have the opportunity to receive an improved
experience, with more knowledge and gained information with lower cost and spent time (Gretzel
and Jamal, 2009).
In this paper it will be analyzed the latest augmented reality technologies and developments that
have direct impact on tourism industry. In order to implement an augmented reality experience and
to enchant the impact that the tourist may gain for the use of it, 2 important things are required:
software basis (applications and programs) and hardware the device that with the combination of
software data will make the experience become real (smartphone, tablet, most recent smart watch
and glasses) (Graham, Zook, Boulton, 2012).
3

As nowadays, almost every tourist has at least 1 device capable of providing virtual or augmented
reality experience, also the speed at which technology are advancing is tremendous and taking into
account that the next 10-20 years tourist will be travelling with must-have devices (as younger
people are more likely to use and to be in trend with the latest technologies), the use of the
augmented reality will be mandatory in every tourist attraction or destination.
The technologies itself are always an innovative part of the industry, augmented reality is the
innovative part of the information and technology industry, as from its specific operational principle,
augmented reality use in tourism industry is often interrelated from all its fields, the best showing
practices are however the smartphone applications as it is the most affordable and widely use
device.
The innovation analyzed in this paper is based on different augmented reality applications which
combine a variety of virtual information to create specific portals that enhances tourists
experiences.
In this paper, first of all it is described the interaction between augmented reality and tourism
industry an overview of the best software application that are using augmented reality technologies
nowadays. Further it will be analyzed how the augmented reality contributes to city tours: as for
tourists, in every destination, a good part of the time is spent on sightseeing and exploration of the
destination, I will try to identify how can augmented reality contribute to enhancing the experience
that a tourist can gain from sightseeing and exploration, what benefits could such applications have
for destination as well as for tourists and I will try to further identify the development of augmented
reality city tours applications.
Finally this paper analyzed the existing augmented reality application for the city of Porto, their
quality, strong and weak points and their possible development.

1. Augmented reality and tourism industry.
Augmented reality is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose
elements are augmented (additional content, supplements) by computer generated input sensor
(video, sound, graphics, GPS) data with the help of specific software. The main goal is to modify the
perception of the reality by diminishing and augmenting data with the help of computing device in
4

order to present other information than perceived otherwise (Graham, Zook, Boulton, 2012).
Received virtual or augmented data replace the real world perception by a simulated one, by adding
different video, sound and data content enabling the perceived data to become interactive and to be
digitally manipulated by the user (Graham, Zook, Boulton, 2012).
The relation between augmented reality and tourism industry is sensed through a variety of fields in
which it the informational technologies are applied. Most common applications can enhance a users
experience while visiting a destination or travelling by providing real time information regarding the
location and its features, the information can be of audio, video or data content. Augmented reality
applications allow tourists to experience simulations of places and objects by rendering them into
current landscape, real-time transport information like schedules, delay and prices, simulations of
historical events, museums and other cultural edifices (including but not limited to: additional
information for the displayed exhibitions, future exhibitions, prices, historical info, work hours,
digital audio and video content) (Sung, 2011).
Another important interaction of augmented reality and tourism industry is the commercial point of
view (food & beverage, accommodation, shopping) when augmented reality users can be guided
with the help of other users reviews and forums in real-time, providing more specific respond to
different inquires (Bartie, Mackaness, 2006).
Nowadays, tourists, when planning a trip or a visit, more and more are searching for relevant data on
specialized web-domains starting with transportation and accommodation search and booking,
weather information, local time, destination attractions, places to visit, users reviews, restaurants
etc. (tripadvisor, fodors, lonelyplanet etc.). As making well all the homework preparations, it is an
increasingly demand for searches and guides on the destination itself, as often it is very complex to
find something desired without the help of internet and online application. As the demand for
information raised, technologies have evolved, it began to appear the supply of specific applications
oriented especially on tourism needs. And as hardware became more and more performing, the
software more and more sophisticated, the implementation of augmented reality became a matter of
time and technology.
The latest technology developments as google glasses, oculus RIFT, smart watches evolves the
augmented reality experience even more. A recent report made by Borunemouth Universitys E-
Tourism Lab with the main researchers Dimitrios Buhalis and Zornitza Yovcheva, emphasize some
5

of the best interaction practices between augmented reality technologies and tourism
(eTourism)(thinkdigital.travel, 2013).

2. Best augmented reality applications in tourism.
Following are described the best augmented reality practices that are applied to tourism, an
report executed in 2013 by thinkdigital travel in cooperation with Bournemouth University E-
Tourism Lab and Yahoo:
1. Enchanting the hard-paper data: as already used by many journals and magazines, and with
the QR-codes application is currently implemented to next-generation advertising:
catalogues, brochures, pamphlets, flyers and other type of paper-based promotion materials,
which having initial small size, by pointing a device towards the specific codes it could add a
tremendous quantity of additional augmented reality data. (Thinkthank, 2013)
2. Museum interactivity. Augmented reality technology displays additional data, photos,
videos, information about missing exhibits, revive extinct exhibits etc. Augmented reality
has huge potential to actively involve tourists in experiencing various museums settings and
artefacts at a new level. For example, Digital binocular station makes static contents of an
exhibit to come to life, leading to an interactive, dynamic and interesting adventure even at
the same exhibit but with other augmented reality supplements it may increase visitor
retention time and return visits (Thinkthank, 2013).
3. Augmented reality browser in the destination are best suited for tourist by enriching the real-
world with interactive virtual information that allows visitors to identify most important
locations and interesting points with additional digital information regarding them, also it
can enrich tourist-poor locations from a city by making the surroundings more interesting
and interactive. (for example Yelp and ETips applications) (Thinkthank, 2013).
4. Responsive experience through gaming augmented reality games are promoting interest
activity by leveraging real-world locations and objects as part of a more immersive
gameplay, could attract and entertain tourist by making an entire city and points of visit into
an augmented reality gameplay, with online achievements and additional historical and
cultural information to every interest point. Also application through augmented reality can
6

pinpoint to experience different historic or future events. Technology successful
implemented in Cologne, Germany (Thinkthank, 2013),.
5. Augmented service in food and beverage industry as for example the Inamo restaurant in
London (UK) where with augmented reality, customers are able to interact with the tabletop
to select their own table theme, order items from multimedia menu or to see a live feed video
from the kitchen (Thinkthank, 2013).
6. Re-living historic life and events re-creation of ancient temples and historic buildings,
destroyed or missing one for example the temple of Olympia, Greece or the Berlin wall by
pointing the device to specific location a rich video and photo gallery appears to show the
exact 3D model of the buildings (Thinkthank, 2013), also augmented reality permits entirely
and historically correct to rebuild destroyed edifices, for example the East pediment of
Temple of Zeus at Olympia (Patay-Horvth, 2013)
7. Augmented transportation helps to guide tourist through unfamiliar environments, reducing
the time and mental effort required for both pedestrian and auto navigation, virtual paths
created by augmented reality facilitate both indoor and outdoor pedestrian an auto
movement, a successful example is NearestTube application for London metro (Thinkthank,
2013).
8. Augmented reality translation represents the application that can in real-time translate the
road signs, dinner menus, train schedules , newspapers headlines from a foreign language to
any other desired which greatly increase the adaptation factor of the tourist (ex. World
Lens application). (Thinkthank, 2013).
9. Participative destination management one of the most notorious example is the Urban
Augmented Reality implemented by Netherlands Architecture Institute, where residents and
tourists can experience the urban environment as (it was once, would be in the future both
with the help of augmented reality) and as is without any device, it also allows users to add
comments to a database, effectively soliciting public opinion and tourists demand
(Thinkthank, 2013).
10. Data glasses or headed mounted display represents a new step into augmented reality
implementation, with specific software basis, besides almost every other potential mentioned
above, they can provide the use of augmented reality hands-free, without disturbing the
person with other motions. A great use of them is for drivers that should be focused on the
7

road or sports activity when the customer will receive all the desired information while being
involved or spectating a sport event (Hannes, 2014), (Google Glass, 2014).


3. Augmented reality city tours.
Nowadays all the recent augmented reality applications are in need of two main components:
hardware and software. The main problem is that different software developers are proposing
different functions on their applications, one function may be great in one application, another one
in other application, and when choosing which application to use, most clients choose that one
which is more appropriate to their needs many perspective functions being neglected due to the
overall application viability (Graham, Zook, Boulton, 2012). Hardware components also may post
some discomfort as there are present different operational system, and not all the low-medium class
devices have all the hardware components needed for an amazing augmented reality experience.
High-end gear or some innovative ones (Rift, Google glasses) are very expensive and most of the
tourist cannot afford them. Other problem may be the limited autonomy time maintained by
powerful devices when running with all components active.
Nevertheless, augmented reality possesses more and more interest as from tourist demanders as well
as from tourist services suppliers. Tourists are spending most of their time exploring and sightseeing
the destination place, even now most activities are made with the help of informational technologies
and more or less with the help of augmented reality.
As a means of highlighting interesting features or bringing history back to life, augmented city tours
have great potential. For example an ongoing project in Seville, Spain, a company called Past View
has created an augmented reality walking tour. Tourists put on video-glasses and earphones, which
are connected to their phones. View Past is a real sensory experience, based on augmented reality,
that allows to live the past. With the glasses Past View, tourist are admiring certain places from
Seville as they were in a certain period, interacting with the characters from that period, which can
guide and show the details at which tourist is looking. A GPS system keeps permanently geolocated
which permits to compare the past and the present of the main monuments of the city (PastView,
2014).
8

In 2010, the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) launched its free 3D architecture application,
Urban Augmented Reality, allowing users to see what was in a location in the past as well as what is
planned for it in the future (Mullin, 2013). The application is design for not-guided users, which
means that every user can explore the city by itself. Through combining text data, images, archival
material, video and 3D models UAR application shows what the city used to look like, how it might
have looked or what it will look like in the future, it also contains walking routes and thematic
routes. This augmented reality application already has been implemented in more than 5 cities from
Netherlands (NAI, 2013).
Another augmented reality application was implemented in city of Paris, called Paris Then and Now.
Tourist can download the application to see historical images layered onto physical surroundings.
Users can travel back in time and view more than 2000 places of interest as they were 100 years ago.
From such applications can benefits also the travel agencies, in involving tourists who might not
otherwise have been interested in a guided tour, also younger tourists have an increased interest in
augmented reality tours as they find historical tours too reminiscent of school (google.play market,
2014).
Also there are some more common applications with downloads counting more than 50 million on
both Google and IOS markets. WikiTude is an augmented reality aggregator which relies on a lot
of information and content from different sources like: Citysearch, Wikipedia, Tripadvisor, also it
use real-time users reviews to improve the search options and displays information about the user
surroundings in a mobile camera view, including image recognition and 3D modeling. Having
enormous databases and a relatively smart augmented reality display of content is one of the highest
rated travel application by the user reviews (Wikitude, 2014).
Another important application is YELP. Basically designed as an urban online guide with search
tool by which visitors can access business reviews for companies that provide specific types of
products and services in the area. With the latest introduction Monocle was the YELPs first
step intro introduction augmented reality into the application. By pointing the device towards the
interested object application will pop-up additional content like media galleries, users reviews,
working hours and in some cases prices or online menus for restaurants (Yelp, 2014).
One of the leading companies in augmented reality domain is Google Corporation. Besides its
features like Google Earth, Google street view, Google Translate and Google Voice it has an
9

important augmented reality feature for travelers. By taking photo of an object and searching with it
in the internet it will bring informational data from Wikipedia regarding the object, prices,
direction an even translation if the information is presented in other language (Google, 2014).
Most application developers and software corporations are working intensively now to permit the
applications correct work in offline mode (or without internet connection). As many major cities
have good phone connections, developed cable infrastructure and Wi-Fi hotspots, many more distant
locations or in countries with less developed IT industry the internet connection is not available
everywhere or may be at a very high cost. Most travel application now have the option to download
all the search information or interest points into device memory, and when arriving at location, even
where is no internet connection, with the GPS help the application may display correct augmented
reality content on the device.
4. PORTO case
The augmented reality technologies are presented in the city of Porto mostly through the interface of
mobile applications for devices. The variations and the availability of the applications are at a pretty
good level as for paid ones as well as for free to use applications. From the most useful one can be
mentioned: YELP, Wikitours, Foursquare, Tripadvisor (available both for Android and IOS
platforms), only IOS platform canbe mentioned PinDrope, GeoTravel and ETIPS PRT Porto travel
guide one of the best application in its category, with the support of augmentation reality data,
offline mode and user review. From negative points are that it is paid (small sum of 2,69 euro) and
that it is available only for IOS. From my personal experience and visiting application reviews and
user forums I can conclude that maps in online mode a pretty accurate and working well, offline
mode is having troubles but it is a newer feature that it isnt yet developed well. There are user
complaints that a lot of information available through this applications is outdated, not all the QR
codes are working or displaying trustful information, also there are problems with broken links and
missing places this is more a problem of the business owners, as majority of the applications are
free-to-add (everyone is welcome to introduce information and/or business on it), and sometimes
after closing the business or relocated it, the information is simple not updated.
In generally, Porto city, lacks content of digitalized augmented reality information and availability,
all the major application has much less places than in other popular tourist city destination.
10

Available data is available only for major touristic edifices and usually lacks coherent information
(schedule, prices, nearby attractions).
Also it is worth mentioning WorldTour360 and PanoramicEarth portals, that have interesting views
and digital content for the Porto city, but the information is available only for PC version and cannot
be adequately used in mobile devices. Google Erath and Street view have covered almost every part
of the city, therefore information is a bit outdated, and road direction cannot be trusted online.
Google earth have 3D models of the most important buildings from the city center (however there
are not so much as desired and some important one are not 3d ex. Torres dos Clerigos).
Porto city have great potential of implementing augmented reality technologies: it have plenty of
visitors, good historical and cultural background, traditions and architecture with roots in ages, good
WI-FI (free and paid) coverage, availability of domestic specialists (UP Porto).
To propose an entirely new application is very costly and to make a viable one there should be some
serious investments, 1 day application with downloads less than 100 are not worthy. It is much
purposefully to make some proposal for already existing one. In general augmented technologies
have high requirements to both software developers and hardware devices, as with recent
technologically innovations HMD (headed mounted displays) including Google glasses, the
potential of the augmented reality and tourism interaction have raised a lot, however there are some
new problems that should be faced: such devices are at infantile development level, at cost pretty
much, the costs will go down in year or two as the competition will rise (a lot of big corporation are
heavily founding this area) and the devices will evolve greatly in relatively short period of time
from here results that to develop specific applications for specific functions of such devices is yet
premature. Another big problem is the autonomy of the devices: usually HMD including Google
glasses have autonomy of no more than 1 hour of continuously recording or heavy usage, other
mobile devices like tablets or smartphones, under heavy usage, rarely can be enjoyed more than 6
hours. This is just a matter of time when the raised problems will be solved, only after that,
augmented reality interface will work at a desired potential.
However for the existing application, I will mention several improvements that may be useful.
A) As there are already presented pretty good application (ETIPS PRT for example) available
only on IOS devices, it will greatly increase the auditory and the potential tourists that will
benefit from it if it will be available on other platform (first of all Android as it is the
11

leading operational system based on ruled devices (TechRepublic, 2014) with a share of 20%
to 80% and other minor mobile device platform as Windows Mobile etc.)
B) To make free and paid version of the application free version based on user reviews and
ranking and on free-to-add content platform, paid version containing the free version content
plus a more severe verification of broken links, missing information, up-to-date information
and missing places control
C) Augmented reality based interface as was mentioned above, Porto city have great historical
and architectural potential, to digitalize the information and to make the information
available for tourist through the application
D) Can be introduced the experience from other cities and applications for example: Then and
Now to emphasize the historical and architectural edifices with content that will show the
evolution through time of the interest point
E) Augmented reality could be implemented on the building and streets that are left in
deplorable conditions as the actual situations may great some sort of touristic attraction, the
option to view their condition in another time period with the help of a mobile device will
attract much more tourist and will make the city exploration more entertained
F) The application should contain a game base reward system: it will be very effective for all
the age ranges at will attract much younger touristic (domestic and international). For
example for visiting 10 places you receive 100 application points, for completing the
historical churches route another 100 points, to make different checkpoints very important
to make them and in very crowded places and in places with low touristic attractiveness
this will develop the area which otherwise are not in to-do list for completing 5
checkpoints to receive another x amount of points etc. Rewards can be very different
application with time will evolve in other major cities and will be a leader board as all the
information could be stored and shared. Also for example for 500 points you can claim a
ticket to the Casa da Musica or for completed a touristic route to receive a free pass into a
Musem, daily metro pass, free meal, updating the application status from free to paid, free
Wi-Fi daily pass Meo/PT etc. The viability of such reward system is easy to achieve from
public-private partnership and advertising (as well as for introducing new checkpoints into
the route for discounts, %, monthly fee etc.).
12

G) To promote augmented reality gaming through the application it will be interconnected
with the system described above, and will focus mainly on students and physically shaped
tourist, also it could be injected into different student holidays and activities.
H) With the help of the application should be developed augmented reality exhibitions (in
partnership of local museums) and for a symbolic fee, or for reward points, museum interest
etc. beside usual exhibit to make virtual one with the availability of an adequate device
with the diversification of the digital augmented content (moving exhibit, historical events,
additional info) could be increase the visiting rate for museums, the entertainment of such
visits as well as the repetitive visits.

Conclusion.
The goal of this paper was to analyze the augmented reality innovation and its impact on tourism
industry. From the analyzed data I can conclude that augmented reality technology, although is a
pretty new branch in informational technology, has an increasing impact on tourism industry. With
the lighting speed development of technologies, the tourism demanders and suppliers are trying to
maximize their interests through the use of technologies. Augmented reality as a step forward in IT
domain is interacting almost in every sector of tourism industry. And as technologies developing
potential is theoretically unlimited, the augmented technologies will be a request for every step in
planning or developing a tourist destination/attraction. When barely 20-30 years ago the tourist habit
was represented by a film camera; hard paper maps and journal, magazines, television informative
portals, in 20-30 from now on, possible just one device will replace all the todays device from
planning, entertainment, transactions, information to companion and guidance etc. and augmented
reality will made the greater part of it.
From the analyzed examples we can see that almost every domain of tourist sector have introduced
more or less augmented technologies, this technologies are helping to develop existing destinations
and attraction, to make a step forward competitors, to improve a less desired attraction, to entertain
younger generation of more sophisticate tourist also it can rebuild, remake or to improve damaged or
partially destroyed/unavailable edifices/exhibits.
Still traditional ways of planning, making and entertaining a trip will persist in decades and will
remain as a branch apart, the implementation and the combination of the augmented reality and
13

virtual technologies with traditional one will led only to a mutual benefit, especially with the
growing generation of technological tourists where a modern smartphone is a must and nobody
will book accommodation through paper letters or phone. Albeit there are some physical and ethic
limitations of the recent augmented reality technology devices: autonomy, performance, Google
glasses were banned in different location even before official mass production because of privacy
and acceptable technology use (The Telegraph, 2013), it is just a matter of time when the faced
issues will be defined and or solved.
It is also an increase trend in developing the augmented reality city tours. Combining all the
benefices and innovations that augmented reality is offering, more and more companies, software
developers and world cities are implementing the technologies in order to satisfy the increasing need
of enchanted experience demanded by the tourists.
Porto city have great potential in developing and applying augmented reality technologies. Whilst at
the moment the most persistent representation of the augmented reality technologies in tourism
industry are through mobile device, and on the market are present several applications that have
decent information data and coverage, there is still plenty of place for improvement as for software
developers as well as for public municipality.











14

Bibliography:

Bartie, P., Mackaness, W. (2006): Development of a speech-based augmented reality system to
support exploration of cityscapes. Transcation in GIS: volume 10, issue 1, pages 63-86
Bujalis, D. & Law, R. (2008): Progress in information technology and tourism management. 20
years on and 10 years after internet. Tourism management 29(4): 609-623
Digital tourism think thank report 2013: Augmented reality in tourism 10 unique application
explained http://thinkdigital.travel/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/10-AR-Best-Practices-in-
Tourism.pdf (09.10.2014)
Google glasses official website (2014): http://www.google.com/glass/start/ (11.05.2014)
Google Play market website 2014: Paris Then and now guide
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rasap.parisavant.free (10.05.2014)
Google search by image (2014): product description and features:
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/images/searchbyimage.html (10.05.2014)
Graham, M., Zook, M., Boulton, A. (2012): Augmented reality in urban places: contested content
and the duplicity of code. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Volume 38, Issue 3:
pp. 464-479
Gretzel, U. & Jamal, T (2009): Conceptualizing the creative tourist class: technology, mobility, and
Tourism experiences. Tourism Analysis 14(4): 471-481
Hannes, W. (2014): Possibilities with Data-Glasses for the tourism and travel industry, ITB Berlin
2014
Mullin, M. (2013): The best uses of augmented reality in travel industry, Industry news, tourism
today, August 2013
15

NAI Netherlands Architecture Institute official website
http://www.nai.nl/museum/architectuur_app (05.05.2014)
Neuhofer, B., Buhalis, D., Ladkin, A: (2013). High tech for high touch experiences: a case study
from the hospitality industry. Information and communication technologies in tourism 2013:
proceedings of the international conference in Inssbruck, Austria, January 22-25, 2013: p.290-301
PastView official website (2014): http://www.pastview.es/ (10.05.2014)
Patay-Horvth, Andrs (2013): The virtual 3D reconstruction of the east pediment of the temple of
Zeus at Olympia an old puzzle of classical archaeology in the light of recent technologies; Digital
applications in archaeology and cultural heritage, volume 1, pp. 12-22.
Sung, D. (2011): Augmented reality in action travel and tourism. Pocket-lint: http://www.pocket-
lint.com/news/108891-augmented-reality-travel-tourism-apps (10.05.2014)
Tech Republic (2014): IOS vs Android statistics: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/apple-v-
google-the-goliath-deathmatch-by-the-numbers-in-2014/#. (12.05.2014)
The Telegraph (2013): Google glasses banned before mass production:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10494231/The-places-where-Google-Glass-is-
banned.html (12.05.2014)
Thinkdigital official wbsite, interview with Zornitza Yovcheva 16 April 2013:
http://thinkdigital.travel/best-practice/augmented-reality-in-tourism/ (10.05.2014)
YELP official website (2014): application and product description : http://www.yelp.com/
(10.05.2014)
Yovcheva, Z., Buhalis, D., Gatzidis, C.(2012): Overview of smarphone augmented reality
applications for tourism. E-Review of Tourism Research (eRTR), vol.10, No.2, 2012
Wikitude official website (2014): Wikitude application product description
http://www.wikitude.com/ (12.05.2014)