The new generation of audioguides that cater to tourists

The origin of audioguides

The first audioguides appeared in the middle of the 20th century. Le Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, one of the most important museums of modern and contemporary art, was one of the first to offer its visitors the possibility of extending the information on the panels and thus deciding on their individual experience with the help of a shortwave radio system.

It was not until nearly a decade later that the first museums integrated this revolutionary tool as a supplementary service for their visitors. These were the United States Museum of Natural History and the Louvre. Although they seem to have been with us all their lives, they only arrived at the Prado Museum in 2002.

Since then and up to the present day, its technological evolution has been developing at breakneck speed and we have moved from traditional cassettes to cloud services in a very short time. It is important to keep this in mind, because this is a real revolution in the museum experience.

The present (and the future ?) of audioguides

The new generation of audioguides responds to the digital transformation of the tourism sector, an unstoppable process for which we have technologies that allow us to adapt to the new tourism model.

Characteristics of modern audioguides

It is likely that even the name will end up disappearing, because nowadays, audio guides are much more than that. Installed on every visitor's mobile device, they are very comprehensive applications that provide information «on demand». Among the main features, we find :

• Ils sont sur une plate-forme cloud
• They are installed on the visitor's mobile phone.
• They are automatically activated by GPS, QR, beacon, ...
• Personalised multimedia content
• They avoid the need for physical elements that can generate mistrust.
• Ils sont moins chers
• Ils sont accessibles de n'importe où
• Ils sont faciles à mettre à niveau
• They act as recruiters of new visitors.
• They provide a large amount of relevant information to heritage managers and tour guides in order to optimise their content and adapt it to the needs of the tourist.

Experiences à la carte in sightseeing tours

Today's travellers are not looking for products or services, we aspire to live positive experiences that are also unique, personal.

Aujourd'hui, les touristes peuvent être définis comme :

• Hyperconnecté. Use a variety of devices before, during and after your visit. You do not want to use another one, it has the temple, which does not tear.
• Social. Present on more than one social network, she is always consulting opinions and sharing moments and experiences. She knows that her opinion is powerful.
• Durable. They are more aware of the impact this has on their travel and activities. It has a positive value for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
• Indépendant. They themselves organise and document their journey.

The digital transformation of tourism

Working in the cloud allows us to adapt quickly to changes and opportunities and to be more effective and efficient.

This new generation of audioguides responds to the digital transformation of the sector, which allows us to increase the value of the destination by adapting it to new visitor needs.

The coronavirus has also changed, and will continue to change, our travel preferences and the way we interact with each other.

It is a question of avoiding all physical contact during a greeting, which is characteristic of southern European countries, or of avoiding places where there is a lot of people. In 2020, for example, the tourist attraction of the rural world increased, as did the need to ensure that all hygiene and safety measures are respected. We no longer have any desire for physical contact or the sharing of objects.

Les applications, telles que Aumentur, The mobile apps allow tourists to use their own mobile device and to select the type of content they want to understand the destination.