Why are self-guided AR tours the future of cultural tourism?

Spoiler alert: in 2025, your tour guide won't be carrying an umbrella anymore. He'll be carrying a battery and a 5G connection.

The free tour model is losing strength

For more than a decade, the free tours were the star format of urban tourism in Europe. However, in the summer of 2025, a decrease was observed significant slowdown in its growth. Companies like Sandemans New Europe, pioneers of the tip-based model, have scaled back operations in cities such as Copenhagen and Hamburg.

The model faces criticism for its job insecurity, saturation of public spaces and lack of innovationIn a post-pandemic context, travelers are looking for more personalized, flexible and technological experiences.

The rise of self-guided and digital tours

According to the report of Regiondo on global tourism in 2025:

He 55% of tourists prefers self-guided tours and flexible schedules.
He 80% of travelers plan your vacation entirely online.
Cultural experiences such as museums and walking tours dominate the reservations, with a 60% and 55% respectively.
The travel experience sector will reach a value of $375 billion in 2025.

What is an AR tour?

A AR (augmented reality) tour is a self-guided experience that combines:

📍 Geolocation
🕶️ Historical reconstructions of the real environment
🎧 Immersive storytelling with dramatized audio
📱 Interaction from your own mobile

Instead of following a group, you decide when, how and how deep live history.

Advantages over the traditional model

✅ Total freedom
Take the tour whenever you want, without schedules or groups. Ideal for independent travelers, families, or night explorers.

✅ Personalization
Choose your language, focus (legends, architecture, political history), and pace. Some tours even tailor the content to your interests.

✅ Real immersion
Watching a Roman wall being rebuilt before you. Listening to a historical figure speak to you from an empty square. Feeling like you're in a movie... but in your own city.

Western Europe leads the change

The report of Innoarea Studios on immersive technologies confirms that AR and XR are transforming cultural tourism in Europe. Companies in the sector report:

Increased demand for interactive experiences.
Using AR to revive historical scenes and optimize tourist routes.
AI integration to personalize routes and manage traffic.

Spain: Digital tourism in expansion

According to the INE, although resident travel fell by 14.3% in the first quarter of 2025, the Average spending per person increased by 11.6%. This indicates a preference for experiences with greater added value, such as cultural tours with technology.

In addition, the 47.6% of tourism SMEs in Spain have increased their degree of digitalization, including AR apps and intelligent management systems.

And you, have you already tried one?

In History, we have designed self-guided tours with AR that allow you to relive history like never before. From the siege of Barcelona in 1714 until the secrets of the City of London, each tour is a unique, immersive and flexible experience.