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The next big thing: The new tourism trend everyone needs to know about

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The next big thing: The new tourism trend everyone needs to know about

In tourism, organizations and academia, dramatization is gaining momentum. Eran Galmor, developer of the Yooz platform, shares how content can be presented in an engaging way by arousing curiosity and interest, rather than just another routine presentation.

“In the tourism industry, large institutions such as major museums have budgets. When they want to create an experiential activity for visitors, they can develop special applications through service providers. However, most tourism businesses in Israel do not have large budgets. Our platform offers a solution for small and medium-sized businesses,” says organizational development manager Eran Galmor, who also doubles as a “gaming expert.”

Combining his love of travel and games, Galmor, 62, decided to specialize in gamification, using gaming techniques to improve performance in areas unrelated to games. He developed the Yooz brand, a digital platform for creating customer experiences using game techniques that makes it possible to create interactive experiences in the world of tourism. “I used to be a tour guide, and when I look at how I guided tours 30 years ago and how it’s done today, it’s basically the same,” he says.

YOOZ Platform (credit: YOOZ)

What does your startup focus on?

“In tourism, there are technologies to book trips through apps or communicate with hotel services. We are on par with the rest of the world in this field. “But we are less advanced in technologies aimed at creating immersive experiences.”

“For example, travelers often listen to a guide talk throughout the journey. This is the traditional order. We’re thinking about how we can improve travelers’ experience beyond just listening to a guide. Through our system, we create a kind of travel game using questions or puzzles about the sites along the way. “This method allows participants to learn a variety of things interactively.”

“An example of this is the family tour in the Zichron Yaakov area, where clients wanted to highlight the NILI organization. Instead of giving an hour-long guide lecture, we created a test in the form of an animated video with a detective puzzle about NILI. Participants accessed this via a link sent to their phone.”

Creating Interaction

As stated, one of the aims of the platform is to present tourism content in an interesting way. Additionally, Galmor notes, “The system also allows for group activities during tours, encouraging interaction between participants. Many travelers are independent, not participating in organized tours, and we need to find solutions that suit them. For example, a group of Israelis traveling to Vietnam next month found a way to accommodate their trip.” approached me about a gamified activity.”

Another example Galmor shares is food tours, which are becoming increasingly popular in Israel. “Instead of joining an organized tour, what if you want to go on a tour whenever you want, with the group and budget you prefer?” he asks, explaining: “We are currently collaborating with a company that specializes in culinary tours to create your own guided tour of Carmel Market using a game. This allows people to visit whenever they want, watch a video telling a vendor’s story, and include market-related puzzles.” “It will allow them to enjoy a mobile game, something that will also appeal to children. Moreover, such a self-guided tour is 40-50 percent cheaper than a guided tour.”

Another platform goal emphasized by Galmor is to drive visitors to less popular sites. “We created an event called ‘The Treasure of Baybars,’ focusing on the Mamluk sultan, in a national park that sees very little traffic, even from nearby locals. “This adds more value to the experience than entertainment.”

YOOZ Platform (credit: YOOZ)

Unexpected Surprises

For those looking to adopt the platform in Hebrew or English, Galmor offers two options: “The client can create their content using the platform, or we can do it for them. However, the infrastructure already exists and the cost depends on the customer’s needs. “Either way, using the platform is tens of percent cheaper than developing a custom app.”

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Regardless, tourism in Israel faces significant challenges these days.

“Absolutely. That’s why, beyond tourism, I also use gamification in organizational and academic settings. In organizations, the challenge is how to engage employees, arouse their curiosity, and engage them. For example, we recently created a puzzle for a bank about a specific role, with the content focused on banking.” People today have short attention spans; they need something quick, around 10 minutes long. Gamified activities effectively convey information, break routines and surprise employees, making them curious, engaged and challenged. brings it.”

In the academic field, Galmor collaborates with institutions such as Tel Aviv-Yaffo Academic College. “There is a course in the Department of Nursing that focuses on peaceful aging that uses our system for gamified classroom activities. For example, instead of simply asking students about the state of elder care in Israel, they experienced it through a game. We prepared a ‘True or False’ test. “Such gamified activities ultimately increase student satisfaction with the course.”

“Today, people everywhere are looking for something unique and extraordinary, not standard. Gamification also fits in with the habits of younger generations: impatience, short and focused formats and ‘give me something digital’.”



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