What people want when they visit tourist spots isn't just the scenery.
It's to "come into contact with the unique stories of each place and experience them with their own feet."
Augmented reality (AR) technology will take the value of such travel to the next level.
By holding up your smartphone camera, the old cityscape and historical figures will appear before your eyes, turning your walk around the city into a "storytelling experience."
In this article, we will provide a detailed explanation of the basics of tourism using AR, as well as success stories, implementation methods, and future prospects, and offer tips for building tourism businesses with high experiential value and revitalizing local areas.
Contents
- What is AR tourism?
- The benefits of tourism using AR | Shifting tourism from "seeing" to "experiencing"
- Case Study: Advanced Tourism Initiatives Using AR
- Technological advances and the mechanisms supporting AR tourism
- Key points for implementing tourism promotion: 4 steps to make it work
- Future Outlook | AR Expands the Future of Regional Tourism
- Summary | AR opens up new possibilities for travel and local experiences
- If you are considering introducing AR, we recommend AR Works.
- Introducing AR Works achievements
What is AR tourism?
AR is an abbreviation for "Augmented Reality," a technology that displays virtual information overlaid on real scenery. Information such as the history of a building or characters that appear in it will appear visually on your smartphone or tablet, enabling a "new tourist experience" that combines reality and digital.
The benefits of tourism using AR | Shifting tourism from "seeing" to "experiencing"
AR goes beyond simple visual effects and has the power to profoundly transform the tourism experience itself.
Here, we will introduce six benefits of incorporating AR into tourism, using actual scenarios to illustrate them.
1. Create a memorable experience the moment you see it
AR creates memorable experiences by adding stories and effects to landscapes.
For example, when the ancient capital of Heijokyo is brought back to life through AR, it transforms ordinary ruins into a moving place.
2. Enjoy sightseeing while learning
With AR quizzes guided by characters and audio guides available in multiple languages,
anyone can learn in a natural way. It's a device that allows you to enjoy both education and sightseeing at the same time.
3. Experience the local story on the spot
Myths can be recreated at shrines, and old photos and the voices of local residents can be played in town.
AR brings the "stories hidden in the land" to life as an experience right before your eyes.
These AR experiences evolve from "visiting" to "memorable experiences."
4. Reduce the cost of guides and materials
Introducing AR can reduce labor costs for tour guides and printing costs.
Converting guidebooks and other materials into AR makes it easier to update them online.
It also improves service quality by providing the same information to all visitors.
It is also a cost-effective option for local governments and small and medium-sized tourism businesses.
5. Ripple effects on the local economy and promotion of sustainable tourism
AR can also be used as a collaborative initiative between shopping districts and local stores.
Using an AR stamp rally can increase the overall mobility and visitor rates in the area.
Such eco-friendly AR initiatives contribute to expanding and revitalizing local consumption, and serve as an opportunity to attract not only local residents but also tourists.
6. Social media will turn experiences into advertising
Photos and videos taken with AR are easy to share, creating a natural advertising effect.
The "I saw it on social media" trend is very important in today's inbound tourism market.
Case Study: Advanced Tourism Initiatives Using AR
Here we will introduce some successful examples from within Japan where AR has been used in facilities and local projects.
Recreating local culture and history
・Sagae City "Guruguru Sagae": Rediscover the history of the region through an AR stamp rally and archive footage.
Sagae City in Yamagata Prefecture introduces the city's tourist spots and highlights through AR.
The Jionji Temple Audio AR Guide offers AR content that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people, from tourists to children, including stories and guides related to Jionji Temple, as well as mini-games and stamp rallies using the temple's mascot, "Cherin."
Source: http ://gurug urusagae.jp/index.html
A mystery-solving AR rally featuring anime characters
・Gifu City "City Exploration of Light and Illumination": Traditional crafts combined with AR puzzle solving is popular among young people and tourists visiting Japan.
This experiential event combines puzzle solving elements with AR, set in the traditional crafts and townscape of Gifu City.
The style of walking around the city using AR on a smartphone has become popular among young people and tourists visiting Japan.
Source: https://www.city.gifu.lg.jp/info/sichounoheya/1006213/1026012/1029483.html
Promoting migration
- Ise City's "Shopping Cat Stamp Rally": Using WebAR, which does not require an app, the event was well-received for its ease of use. The easy and cute presentation featuring cat characters became a hot topic and was widely shared on social media.
The appeal is that you can easily participate without needing an app.
Source: https://okageyokocho.com/main/works/%E5%95%86%E5%BA%97%E7%8C%AB%E3%83%87%E3%82%B8%E3%82%BF%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%B3%E3%83%97%E3%83%A9%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC/
Industrial heritage and cultural experience
Measures using AR filters that allow visitors to transform into cute silkworm moths and
This playful AR content is popular with young people and families, as it allows visitors to enjoy role-playing experiences and taking photos at tourist spots while learning about the town's history as a silkworm farming town.
Source: https://promotion.ar-works.jp/20241121-2/
AR initiatives at leisure facilities and hot spring resorts
・Kusatsu Onsen x Demon Slayer AR: Expanding the fan base with an immersive production in collaboration with the popular anime.
Characters appear in the scenery of the hot spring town, encouraging tourists to visit in the form of a stamp rally.
This is a case that has been successful in attracting a fan base.
Source: https://onsen-kimetsunoyaiba.com/
https://twitter.com/onsen_kimetsu
Technological advances and the mechanisms supporting AR tourism
Recently, tourism using AR has gone beyond being a passing fad and is becoming established as a means of tourism promotion. Here we will introduce some AR technologies that can be used for promotion in an easy-to-understand manner.
"WebAR" that can be experienced without an app
This AR experience can be experienced without the need to download any apps.
The biggest advantage is that even first-time users can enjoy it right away, and it is increasingly being used for tourist guides and events.
"GPS" realizes AR experiences tailored to your current location
Using your smartphone's GPS function, you can find out where you are.
Based on this location information, you can display AR content and enjoy activities like AR stamp rallies. You can
also limit AR content to be displayed only when you are in a specific location, making it ideal for attracting people to tourist spots and events.
"Image recognition" and "spatial recognition" that respond to what they see
technology allows you to experience AR images appearing when you hold your camera over a poster or wall.
AR is displayed when the camera detects a specific image or landscape, and it is also possible to attach AR to merchandise such as key chains and acrylic stands.
*Touch AR is a technology that combines AR with merchandise such as acrylic stands, key chains, and stickers to create new added value.
Key points for implementing tourism promotion: 4 steps to make it work
When incorporating AR into tourism, it's not just the technology that's important, but also how you use it.
Here are four points to help areas and facilities introducing AR for the first time to proceed smoothly.
1. Decide on your target audience and think about the experience
First, start by thinking about "what kind of people do we want to visit?"
If you tailor the experience to suit your target audience, satisfaction will increase dramatically.
For example, photogenic photo spots and game-like features are effective for young people. For older people, a design that is easy to see and operate will provide peace of mind. For tourists from overseas, it is essential to provide guide signs that take language and culture into consideration.
2. Connect with local stories
AR can be more than just a guide; it can also be a storyteller.
For example, creating a story based on local history or legends can deepen your attachment to and interest in a place.
Dig up the stories behind tourist spots and visualize them using AR.
3. Ease of use comes first
Even with great AR, the experience will be ruined if it is difficult to use.
It is important to be conscious of creating an easy-to-read screen and simple flow so that even people who are not good at operating smartphones can use it without getting lost.
In places with unstable communication environments, it would be good to have some way to allow partial experience offline.
4. Grow it little by little as you operate it
Introducing AR is not a one-time thing.
After installation, the key to success is to adjust the content while observing visitor reactions. It is also effective
to check satisfaction levels through visitor surveys, analyze data to identify popular spots, and change the content to coincide with seasonal events.
By accumulating these experiences, AR tourism will grow into something that can be enjoyed by even more people.
Future Outlook | AR Expands the Future of Regional Tourism
The possibilities for tourism using AR will continue to expand.
The following three directions are attracting particular attention.
Combining AI to make your own personalized journey more accessible
In the future, the combination of AR and AI will make it easier to tailor tourism experiences to each individual.
For example, content perfectly tailored to a person's interests and activities will be automatically selected, such as prioritizing AR display of restaurant information for a food lover, or cultural heritage for a history buff.
The experience of having your own personal travel guide is about to become a reality.
Realizing a tourism experience that anyone can enjoy safely, regardless of age or disability
AR can also be useful in creating tourism that everyone can enjoy.
For example, it can be used to display larger fonts for elderly people who have difficulty reading small print, to support those with visual impairments with audio guides, or to create a system that can be used offline so that even those who are concerned about data usage can enjoy it. There is
a demand for designs that can be used safely by many people, regardless of language or physical differences.
Through AR, "universal tourism experiences" are gradually taking shape.
A future form of tourism that is friendly to the local community and nature
AR is also an environmentally friendly tool.
Reducing the use of paper pamphlets helps conserve resources, and
visualizing local traditions and natural attractions with AR can create new value.
Summary | AR opens up new possibilities for travel and local experiences
Tourism using AR is shifting from "visiting" to "experiencing," and is becoming more widespread as a new way to convey the history and culture of tourist destinations as "stories." Its
greatest appeal is that it not only adds depth to local experiences, but also creates systems that are kind to the local economy and the environment.
Furthermore, by combining it with AI and data, it becomes possible to propose trips that meet individual needs, leading to increased visitor satisfaction and the creation of lasting relationships.
AR will likely become an indispensable "partner that connects people and regions" in the future of tourism.
If you feel like you would like to incorporate AR into your area, please feel free to contact AR Works, which plans and develops AR content.
If you are considering introducing AR, we recommend AR Works.
To effectively utilize AR as a tourism initiative,
the ideal production company would have a good balance of technical capabilities, proposal capabilities, expressive capabilities, and operational support.
AR Works offers the flexibility to meet the following needs:
- I still don't know how to use AR in tourism, so I'd like to consult with an expert first.
- We want to incorporate attractive presentations into product promotions, sightseeing, exhibitions, etc.
- We would like to have one-stop support from effectiveness measurement and document creation.
Please feel free to contact us first!
Introducing AR Works achievements
Below is a list of materials for those who want to use AR for promotion.
You can also check examples using Web AR, Touch AR, etc.
Please feel free to download it.
Introducing examples of use related to tourism and AR
This is a collection of AR case studies that can be used in tourism marketing.
Introducing 6 AR/XR project ideas
We introduce "planning ideas for AR promotions that can be used right now."
![[AR experience available] The dinosaurs start moving on the spot! Examples of use of AR dinosaurs and their introduction points](https://promotion.ar-works.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/icatch.jpeg)
