Singapore Tourism Offers AR-Powered Digital Tours in Partnership with Google ARCore
In Brief
Singapore Tourism Board partnered with Google’s ARCore to offer AI-powered immersive augmented reality (AR) guided tours.
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) expanded its digital tourism partnership with Google’s ARCore to offer augmented reality (AR) guided tours powered by AI. According to the announcement, tourists will be hosted by Merli – Singapore’s tourism mascot during their AR-powered tour of the country.
“STB actively looks for possible tourism use cases in emerging technologies like Extended Reality (XR),” said Simon Ang, the STB director for The Collaboratory. “We’ll always be open to piloting new technologies to create novel experiences for visitors, and we are excited to be working with Google to pioneer this movement.”
It is important to note that the partnership with Google was announced at Google I/O 2023 to create “Merli’s Immersive Adventure”: an AR guided tour of Singapore’s landmarks and best-hidden secrets. Google’s ARCore and Geospatial Creator powers this AR tour and is accessible in the Visit Singapore Travel Guide app.
Earlier, STB and Google launched a preview of two new immersive AR experiences around Victoria Theatre and Merlion Park, which allow travelers to embark on immersive guided tours from their phones.
Now, STB has expanded to even more landmarks around the city with interactive AR experiences to kick off the 2024 travel season.
With AR, it becomes easy for travelers to discover new sights and provides a richer understanding of Singapore through immersive storytelling. AR and similar technologies have increasingly become particularly popular in the travel industry.
Explore Singapore’s Six Tourist Spots via AR
In this latest launch, Merli guides travelers through six stops in the popular tourism precincts of Singapore’s Civic District and Chinatown. Through a mix of historical, cultural and culinary experiences, both tourists and residents alike can explore and learn more about these areas.
For instance, travelers can visit Singapore’s first-ever post office at what is now the Fullerton Hotel — and even send a virtual postcard to their friends or family. At the Great Emporium stop, they can marvel at a life-sized bumboat brought to life in AR and learn about the significance of the Singapore River for the city and its people.
Merli also uncovers hidden spots like the Peranakan Tile Gallery, a local Chinatown business that sells tiles salvaged from demolished shophouses. At Maxwell Food Centre, the interactive AR map of the popular food spot offers recommendations for must-try hawker dishes, helping first-time visitors visually navigate the vast range of food options.
Moreover, the newly launched AR experience combines Google’s ARCore Geospatial API and Visual Positioning Service (VPS). Using advanced AI algorithms, the user’s device accurately detects its position and orientation within the environment, allowing AR content to appear seamlessly integrated into reality.
Google introduced the ARCore Geospatial API in 2022, providing developers with global localization capabilities similar to Google Maps’ Live View feature, leveraging AI to match environment images against a vast database of 3D points from Street View imagery.
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Kumar is an experienced Tech Journalist with a specialization in the dynamic intersections of AI/ML, marketing technology, and emerging fields such as crypto, blockchain, and NFTs. With over 3 years of experience in the industry, Kumar has established a proven track record in crafting compelling narratives, conducting insightful interviews, and delivering comprehensive insights. Kumar's expertise lies in producing high-impact content, including articles, reports, and research publications for prominent industry platforms. With a unique skill set that combines technical knowledge and storytelling, Kumar excels at communicating complex technological concepts to diverse audiences in a clear and engaging manner.
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Kumar is an experienced Tech Journalist with a specialization in the dynamic intersections of AI/ML, marketing technology, and emerging fields such as crypto, blockchain, and NFTs. With over 3 years of experience in the industry, Kumar has established a proven track record in crafting compelling narratives, conducting insightful interviews, and delivering comprehensive insights. Kumar's expertise lies in producing high-impact content, including articles, reports, and research publications for prominent industry platforms. With a unique skill set that combines technical knowledge and storytelling, Kumar excels at communicating complex technological concepts to diverse audiences in a clear and engaging manner.
