Digital Placemaking & Tourism Engagement
Live with ongoing expansion
Scarborough sought a digital solution to increase visitor engagement, support tourism and strengthen the local economy by encouraging residents and visitors to explore more of the borough. The Council wanted to connect people with local attractions, heritage assets, parks, museums and businesses through engaging digital experiences that would increase dwell time and encourage repeat visits.
A key objective was to create family-friendly trails, seasonal campaigns and interactive activities that would attract visitors throughout the year while driving footfall into the town centre and local businesses. The Council also required a flexible platform that could be easily managed and updated internally, supporting wider tourism, place-making and economic development ambitions.
“The support from the Love Exploring team has been excellent, with fresh and exciting ideas regularly implemented.”
The Council partnered with Love Exploring to create a digital engagement programme that encourages residents and visitors to explore local parks, attractions and town centre locations through interactive outdoor experiences. The platform combines augmented reality games, digital trails, walking routes and visitor information to promote physical activity, learning and tourism while supporting local businesses and community engagement.
Love Exploring Solution
Love Exploring provided a rapid-deployment digital platform enabling families to engage in safe, self-directed outdoor activities that promoted health, wellbeing and learning. The solution allowed council officers to quickly populate content and launch engaging experiences across multiple sites.
Features Delivered
Phase 1
- Interactive maps and amenity mapping
- Dinosaur Safari, Fairy and Halloween Trails
- Tree Trails and measured walking routes Phase 2
- Point-to-point navigation across town
- Museum-based AR games using 3D artefacts
- Themed trails supporting tourism and local business footfall
Implementation & Delivery
- Collaborative delivery with parks, museums, schools and business groups • Training provided to over 20 local stakeholders to independently create content
- Agile development approach enabling rapid delivery of new locations and themes
Outcomes & Impact
- Over 1,300 app downloads during a single half-term event
- Strong engagement from local businesses, with repeat participation requested
- Increased visitor dwell time and town centre footfall
- Council teams now self-sufficient in content creation
Future Plans
Continued expansion aligned to festivals, tourism priorities and Visit England user segments.
