The Challenge: Tourist Information and Accessibility 

Local events and town festivals face the major challenge of managing information that is often scattered across multiple channels. This proliferation of websites, social networks, posters, and physical documents makes it extremely difficult for both visitors and residents to quickly find what to do, where to go, and how to plan properly.

Furthermore, the lack of real-time updates regarding last-minute changes and the high influx of public at specific times end up causing the saturation of traditional information points and the constant repetition of questions. That is why intelligent and unified solutions are needed to offer uninterrupted service, overcoming language barriers and adapting content to a wide diversity of profiles.

What is marIA? 

marIA will be a multichannel intelligent conversational agent that will function as a 24/7 virtual information office via WhatsApp. By scanning a simple QR code or a link distributed across digital channels and signage, the user will open a direct chat where they can make their inquiries naturally. The tool will provide contextualized, updated, and multilingual responses about agendas, schedules, mobility, commerce, and services.

Main Objective 

The main objective of the project is to transform information management in municipal tourist and cultural events, achieving an excellent experience for residents and visitors, unifying customer service, and providing institutions with strategically valuable data to improve services.

Specific Objectives

1. Information Centralization: Unify all official information of an event in a single WhatsApp channel, reducing confusion and improving citizen orientation.
2. Uninterrupted and Inclusive Service: Have a service active at any time that provides immediate responses, mitigating language barriers and the excessive burden on physical support points.
3. Data Intelligence: Collect and interpret usage metrics anonymously to generate a dashboard that facilitates the planning and evaluation of future editions.
4. Flow Management: Guide users with real-time mobility information and recommendations to avoid overcrowding and ensure better neighborhood coexistence in public spaces.

At an operational level, the project is developed by implementing an artificial intelligence engine nourished by a structured and maintainable knowledge base with official data sources. This technology will allow extracting conversation metrics during validation in real environments, providing the municipality with an analytical panel key to the operational evaluation of the tourist impact.

Who participates? 

This project is born from a collaborative ecosystem led by the Tech Tourism Cluster. The piloting of this initiative relies on the expertise in technological engineering development and artificial intelligence of the companies inlea and Tridenia, as well as the strategic knowledge in communication and design of the agencies Noema Consulting and Omnia Branding.

Expected Results 

marIA culminates in a consolidated service that offers useful and accessible information directly on the most widespread digital channel. This tool not only simplifies searches for citizens but, thanks to the ethical exploitation of data, it consolidates a highly scalable and replicable innovation model for any other event or municipality in Catalonia, ensuring a public service oriented towards transparency and efficiency.

Key Project Data 

Budget: ~100.000 € 

Grant: ~75% of the total cost 

Start: Pilot test at Local Festivals (Badalona and Lloret de Mar) 

Duration: 17 months