We are excited to share some of the latest developments and enhancements from Hålogaland, one of the pilot regions of the H2020 AURORAL project we are part of. As you may recall from our previous blog post, Hålogaland is a rural area in Norway that offers a variety of touristic digital services to its visitors but also residents. In the winter of 2023, we added new features to the web app oHA in cooperation with Narvik Kommune to be tested in this region. We want to showcase these in this blog post and update you on the latest news from the Hålogaland pilot.

oHA is a web app that connects tourists in the Hålogaland region with the historical natural places around them! By scanning the QR code on the signs on the spot, can tourists access interesting and interactive content about the POIs, such as videos, texts, pictures or 3D photos in the web app oHA. oHA allows tourists to explore the rich heritage and beauty of the Hålogaland region conveniently and engagingly.

The web app oHA also provides valuable data about the end-users to our project partner, Narvik Kommune. These include information about the used language, time spent on different pages or activities, and preferences. This data can help oHA improve the content and interactions with the tourists and meet their needs and expectations. The requirements for statistics were provided by Narvik Kommune and visualized in the form of user-friendly graphs in oHA Base, a content management system for the web app oHA.

With the project partner Narvik Kommune, we recently added another new feature to oHA, a podcast widget from the local Narvik Museum. The podcasts cover various topics related to the history and culture of the Hålogaland. The tourist can either listen to the latest episodes and find them directly in the web app oHA. The podcasts are embedded in the web app using the Soundcloud widget, allowing easy playback and sharing.

In the spring of 2023, we also exploited the features of oHA with integrated 360-degree photos. The web app now allows visitors to experience historical events and places in a realistic look by viewing these photos. They can explore and view the places as they were in the past and learn more about the rich history of Narvik in interactive way.

The local web app is constantly improved with the feedback of the local stakeholders and the community in the region. Narvik Kommune tests the functions and adaptation of the oHA functionalities in the pilot and presents and discusses them with the local stakeholder advisory board regularly. This way, oHA can adjust to the region's individual needs to achieve the best touristic experience and project objectives. We are looking forward to the new test period starting in the summer of 2024!