The I-DEMO project, officially known as Improving DEstination Management Offer through game-based strategies, is a groundbreaking initiative co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union under the KA220 – Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training (VET). Launched in 2024 and spanning over 30 months until 2027, the project promises a transformative shift in how tourism is approached and managed across Europe.

At the heart of I-DEMO lies a clear vision: to equip tourism professionals in EU countries with essential game-based skills that promote digital innovation and enhance the overall performance of tourism organizations. Led by a consortium of eight partners from seven European countries, the project endeavors to create a comprehensive skill set tailored to the demands of modern tourism management.

The primary objectives of I-DEMO are multifaceted and ambitious. One of the key goals is to enhance the specific skills of professionals within Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and VET students, focusing on creative game-based tourism. To achieve this, I-DEMO is designing an innovative online training course centered on 'Game-based Tourism.' This course will be offered through a digital platform and will integrate various sectoral and transversal skills, including digital, entrepreneurial, and soft skills.

To empower DMO professionals and VET students further, the project will provide a toolkit packed with guidelines and a Virtual Map of best practices in creative game-based tourism across Europe. This toolkit will serve as a critical resource for applying gamification and creativity strategies, aiming to plan and deliver innovative and inclusive tourism offers. The inclusion of a Hackathon with 40 proposals from 8 diverse European destinations will bring fresh, dynamic approaches to tourism challenges, fostering a spirit of creativity and collaboration.

Moreover, I-DEMO intends to increase the project results' potential replicability beyond the initial partner destinations, thereby ensuring a lasting impact on the broader European tourism landscape. Through a well-structured skills profile for Game-Based Tourism, the project will define key competencies essential for DMO professionals, drawing upon thorough research and analysis to fill existing training gaps.

Alongside these objectives, the project paves the way for a robust dissemination campaign. This will encompass the organization of webinars, creation of promotional materials, and development of a manual highlighting existing best practices and success stories in digital transition and gamification in tourism. These activities are designed to spread awareness and ensure the sustainability of the project's impacts across the European tourism sector.

Through I-DEMO, the European tourism sector is on the brink of a significant transformation. By fostering a new generation of tourism professionals skilled in game-based strategies and innovative digital solutions, I-DEMO is setting the stage for a more engaging, inclusive, and dynamic tourism environment. As the project unfolds, it promises to unlock new possibilities, ensuring that Europe's tourism sector remains competitive and forward-thinking in an increasingly digital world.

More information:

https://www.i-demo.eu/en/home

#Creative tourism #Experiential tourism #Virtual tourism #Innovation in tourism #Destination management #Digital nomadism #Tourism strategies