Designing Innovative Digital Solutions in the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Industry: Best Practices for an Immersive User Experience

Digital transformation is reshaping business strategies and driving innovation across various industries including Cultural Heritage (CH) and tourism. Digital technologies, such as eXtended Reality (XR) and the Internet of Things (IoT), are increasingly being adopted to enhance visitors’ experiences, foster interactive engagement, and promote cultural knowledge. Despite the growing number of digital solutions proposed in the CH sector, several challenges remain in differentiating digital products and services, including matching industry needs and user expectations. This aspect is of particular interest when dealing with small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which often suffer from limited resources. Therefore, to design an effective digital solution, like a cloud-based platform for tourism and heritage applications, it is essential to first identify the key requirements, expectations, and preferences of SMEs and customers. This study presents the findings of a survey-based analysis conducted among 122 CH and tourism professionals, focusing on the most relevant features, services, and functionalities that such platforms should integrate. Results indicate a strong demand for cloud-based solutions that incorporate XR, IoT, sensors, and smart devices to collect context data and deliver personalized, immersive, and context-aware experiences. These insights suggest valuable practices for the development of digital tools that effectively support cultural organizations in engaging visitors.