ARTOUR: Augmented Reality for Tourism - A Case Study in Riobamba, Ecuador

Augmented reality (AR) is a state-of-the-art technology that integrates computer-generated virtual information into the real world and changes the way people interact and experience their surrounding environment. AR technology brings the digital world, whether it is an object in two-dimensions (2D) or threedimensions (3D), seamlessly into the physical world. It is establishing itself evermore as a fundamental tool in the modern world, not only as a recreational tool but also in the educational, medical and tourism sectors.AR in tourism can help visitors/tourists to explore places and tourist attractions in real terms, in order to make the most of their experience. In this investigation, we propose an interesting way to guide tourists in the city of Riobamba in a modern way, through an application called AR-TOUR, based on the Augmented Reality technology. AR-TOUR is a mobile service platform that will show the main tourist attractions in the city of Riobamba such as churches and parks in 3D, which will increase the interest of tourists in visiting places and the ease of navigating through the city. The ARTOUR application additionally offers options for the selection menu, multilingual functionality, ease of use and the ability to customize the application, which are among the main requirements that are taken into account to attract tourists. The limitations and recommendations of the study are mentioned that will pave the way for future research. The ARTOUR application was developed in Unity 3D using the Vuforia and Flutter augmented reality software for the menu option.