On 9 March 2022 the front office of the rurAllure technological platform was presented to the Consortium partners via a video conference by Gvam together with the University of Vigo and KIFU.  

This platform rurAllure – Route selection will facilitate the activities of the network and will deliver personalised content to pilgrims, considering their specific interests, preferences and needs.  

rurAllure is focused on the establishment of a bottom-up approach towards the promotion and enjoyment of the cultural heritage treasured by thousands of rural locations all over Europe. The technological platform provides cultural, economic and political agents with accessible and cost-effective means to promote their assets online and to gain visibility specifically among pilgrims that would otherwise go without noticing. 

“This portal represents a true innovation for pilgrims or just tourists that want to set a personal plan mixing the points of interest in the route and in the surroundings – as Jaime Solano, Founder of GVAM Interactive Guides commented – Just filling a starting and ending place, dates and topic preferences, the user will get a personal daily plan divided in hours and days, that he can arrange adding new contents. He/she can save it and share it with others before the day arrives at the starting place. Then he/she can follow the plan through the project App that will also suggest new stops, help him/her to reorganize the plan, or listen to narratives that will accompany him when walking. Next upgrades of this first version will include more features and recommendation intelligence to fit the project pilot’s needs, it will also give access to vendors (local service providers for accommodation, eating, mobility, leisure, etc.) to enrich the diversity of options around the route and the different types of pilgrims”. 

The platform will be accompanied by a mobile application that will cohesively present the heritage of the regions traversed over several days or weeks, featuring functionalities to discover the most exciting resources and experiences for each individual or group, to facilitate transportation to the towns and villages, if needed, and back to the main route and to find suitable accommodation and dining possibilities in the rural environment. 

“The University of Vigo is working on the configuration needed to have the pilgrims’ portal deployed for all the pilot routes – said the project coordinator Martín López Nores, – the platform is expected to reach the level of maturity that will allow opening up to third parties in 2023”. 

Each pilot analyzed by rurAllure is now available live on the platform which will allow mapping the unmissable stages based on the keywords that will guide the creation of a tailored experience, such as culture, gastronomy, sport, shopping, heritage, tradition, and accessibility.

Ways to Santiago

Ways to Rome

St Olav ways

Ways of Mary

There will also be recommended plans that will allow the pilgrim to participate in local events.  

rurAllure is growing every day to meet the needs of pilgrims who wish to enrich their experience on the road as an itinerary is not just an outdoor activity but a 360-degree experience.