Balanced Tourism: Directing Visibility to Lesser-Known Destinations

Status Quo and New Focus

European Tourism Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas puts the problem in numbers: half of all touristic overnight stays in Europe are concentrated in just 13 percent of regions. The Commission therefore no longer wants to rely solely on rising visitor numbers, but to strengthen local communities and businesses.

The aim is for visitors to be better distributed across seasons and destinations. To this end, the EU will create incentives over the coming years to simplify cross-border rail travel, improve data sharing between member states, and present lesser-known areas as attractive holiday regions. Susanne Kraus-Winkler, tourism spokesperson of the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO), sees particular potential in Austria for the Waldviertel, the Weinviertel, parts of Styria, the Semmering and Gastein.

Visibility is Key

With this focus, the visibility of smaller and, so far, little-known regions is becoming more important. If visitors are to travel beyond the hotspots, they first need to know these places exist. Lesser-known regions must therefore catch up in visual presence, visibility and the promotion of their activities.

Interactive panoramic cameras can close this gap. Instead of a single, carefully chosen photo, interested travelers can explore a region in a 360-degree view: they move through the image on their own, click on interactive points and find out about activities on site. This increases the time spent on the page, sparks curiosity and ultimately creates the desire to discover the region in real life.

Live panoramas offer further advantages:

• Authenticity: High-resolution panoramic images show the region as it really is and build trust.
• Activities at a glance: Accommodations, leisure activities and cultural offerings are displayed directly in the panoramic image and can be linked to the tourism website or portals.