By Molly Bishop

Stirling is set to become the first of its kind, as it is given its augmented reality (AR) status. Part of the ‘Stirling XP’ plan, it aims to improve tourism and the visitor experience of Stirling.

Visitors will be encouraged to download the Stirling XP app to unlock the AR experience. Once the app is downloaded, visitors will be able to view all sorts of visuals and interactive games which tell the story of Stirling’s history.

Stirling council invested £200,000 into this project, and Stirling is the first city in the world to offer an AR experience to its visitors. The app has been developed with BT Enterprise Business Scotland.

Director Alan Lees said: “At BT, we don’t just build the connectivity, we help to build the solutions which will be powered by it to change communities.

“Tourism is vital to the Scottish economy and working with Stirling Council and Seymour Powell we’re excited to be part of this brilliant app, helping to deliver a first of its kind experience which visitors will love.”

But what exactly is AR and why is this such a significant step towards improving tourism?

Augmented reality is an experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. This differs from virtual reality where the environment created is completely artificial.

The earliest recording of functional AR being used was in the 1990s. However, in recent years it has been used widely for various functions from music and live broadcast events to flight and healthcare training. A well-known example of AR was the popular Pokemon Go App which at its height of popularity is estimated to of grossed $950 million in 2016.

AR is also often used for tourism. Various museums include AR experiences which allow visitors to view extra interactive information through their phones and it is quickly becoming a popular tourism marketing tool. Many creators and travel marketers believe that it is the way forward to connect with travellers, and to introduce a fresh experience for the younger generations.

Stirling’s city-wide app is perhaps ahead of the game. However, what do the locals think about this investment and Stirling’s XP project?

“I think it’s a bit of a pointless thing for the council to invest £200,000 when there is a cost-of-living crisis going on and the money could go towards better things,” said student Emily Campbell.

Rachel Findley, local to Stirling, also commented: “It has not really been advertised enough. I didn’t really know it was a thing or really what it actually meant until I googled it so how are tourists meant to know about it?”

However, waitress Bethany Walker said: “I think the app is really cool and it’s pretty exciting to think Stirling the first city in the world to do it. I could definitely imagine tourists really enjoying it.”

The ‘Stirling XP’ AR app is still a very new addition to the city; however, it can be downloaded from the App Store now. The project continues to have plans for the city, including making Stirling an official dementia-friendly city.

However, the introduction of their AR app is an achievement worth recognising and could perhaps be the start of an exciting new future for worldwide tourism.