The modern visitor is no longer just looking for information – he wants a story, a role and a sense of being part of what is happening. The key shift in tourism is therefore no longer in infrastructure, but in the way experiences are designed. The process does not start with the idea of the product, but with the question: who is our visitor and what kind of experience does he want?
In the webinar "From Tourists to Heroes: Creating Unforgettable Experiences", Marko Maučec clearly showed that the development of an experience consists of three phases: development, presentation and the experience itself. In the first phase, the most important thing is to talk to stakeholders and people who have the most contact with visitors, as they are the ones who best understand their wishes, motives and limitations.
Beginning: let's not look for solutions, but for a story
A big mistake of tourism products is that they are created without a clear answer to the question why. Why would someone buy an experience? What will he gain? How will he feel about it? Only when we define the purpose can we design meaningful content and the visitor journey.
Storytelling plays a key role in this – with character, location, conflict and conclusion. Such a structure does not inform the visitor but engages him in the action.
This is also the foundation of Escapebox's approach, where tourist destinations are turned into gamified stories in which the visitor becomes the protagonist. Their solutions are based on researching local legends, designing a scenario, testing and final implementation – and the goal is an emotional connection to the destination, not just providing information.
Gamification as a tool for active experience
Gamification means the use of game elements in a non-gaming environment in order to increase the involvement of visitors. In tourism, this means tasks, challenges, advancement and a sense of accomplishment.
Such an approach means that the visitor actively explores the space and consequently better understands the heritage, the longer they stay at the destination and the easier it is to share the experience further.
For example, with urban adventures, self-guided games, AR solutions and interactive guides, Escapebox allows visitors to discover the hidden corners of a destination on their own and experience the so-called Escapebox. The WOW effect, which is key to recommendations and good online reviews.
A new tourist product without major interventions
One of the biggest advantages of gamified experiences is that they can create a new tourism product without major infrastructural interventions – using a story, route, props or digital solutions.
Testing, team and long-term value
A good experience doesn't end with launch. It is necessary to test with real users, observe their path and constantly upgrade. Also important are the selection of the right team, the durability of materials, the possibility of modernization and the flexibility of the product over time.
Conclusion: the visitor as the main character
The greatest value of modern tourist experiences is the shift from leadership to collaboration. The visitor is no longer a listener, but an explorer, a problem solver and the hero of the story.
If we want to create experiences that will be successful in the long run, we must not rush into solutions. First, we need to clarify the journey, the story and the role of the visitor – only then come the technology, props and sales.
The tourism of the future will not be the one that will have the most attractions, but the one that will know how to create an unforgettable, playful and personal experience out of them.