Rotas Culturais
Interactive pocket guide of cultural routes in Alentejo & Ribatejo
Client
"Turismo do Alentejo" is a regional entity dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the Alentejo and Ribatejo regions, encompassing their distinct culture, legends, stories, traditions, and gastronomy.
Challenges & Objectives
The primary goal of this project is to showcase the history of Alentejo through four thematic routes: the Megalithism Route, Forts & Fortifications Route, Baroque Route, and Avieira Culture Route. The aim is to engage audiences in a dynamic and entertaining manner.
Covering a vast region occupying approximately one-third of the national territory, the Alentejo boasts unparalleled landscapes and a wealth of archaeological, monumental, architectural, and ethnographic treasures. Coupled with its exceptional cuisine and wines, the region offers an ideal blend of nature and cultural tourism. Thus, the need for a digital guide arose to match this potential.
The concept of a mobile app emerged to narrate the stories of Rotas Culturais visually and audibly to a global audience. The envisioned app would serve as a companion for tourists, providing narrations in multiple languages to enhance their exploration and adventures.
The design process commenced with the creation of lo-fi wireframes, representing the skeletal structure and core functionalities of the app's user interface. These wireframes provided a secure foundation, ensuring the feasibility of envisioned features and interactions. Design decisions were guided by the client's existing logo and color scheme.
The app features a bottom menu with five tabs, beginning with "Explore." This tab functions as a feed, offering notifications and presenting essential information such as the various routes and top tour programs available.
Each tour program provides details such as its route, duration (ranging from 3 to 7 days), distance, descriptive texts, and practical tips. Users can further explore daily itineraries and filter points of interest based on categories like sightseeing, dining, accommodation, and support services.
A highlight of the app is its audio-guides for points of interest, available in four languages. These narrations offer captivating stories and legends about monuments, ruins, and spaces, enhancing the user experience significantly.
The app employs notifications to ensure users never miss a moment. When within 50 meters of any point of interest along the routes, users receive alerts and are directed to relevant descriptions, ensuring an immersive and educational experience.
The "Map" tab provides a global view, focusing on Portugal and highlighting the Alentejo region. Users can locate routes and points of interest, with options to filter searches for restaurants, hotels, and attractions.
Lastly, users have access to a personal profile area to manage their account and preferences, such as the "Favorites" tab that allows users to mark points of interest for future reference.
For this project, we developed a client-facing back office to manage app content. The resulting mobile app serves as a vibrant, dynamic, and innovative cultural tourism tool, enhancing every adventure with enriching experiences.
