Problem

In a city of stories, history is getting lost in the noise.

Savannah’s tourism market is one of the most saturated in the country, yet the experience remains stagnant. Traditional tours rely on verbal narration that is easily drowned out by city noise and remains inaccessible to the hearing-impaired. For younger travelers, these passive tours feel like a lecture rather than an adventure, leading to low engagement and a "one-and-done" market cycle.

Research

Understanding the gap between the guide and the guest.

We took to the streets, participating in over a dozen walking and trolley tours to identify the breaking points. Our interviews with tour guides revealed a desperate need to reach younger demographics, while tourists expressed a desire for more control and visual immersion. We realized that the problem wasn't a lack of history—it was a lack of interactivity.

Solution

History brought to life through gamified exploration.

AR Storytelling

We integrated AR experiences at key landmarks, like the Mary Tew House, allowing buildings to transform and historical characters to appear in real-time. This turned passive observation into an immersive time-travel experience.

The Artifact Gallery

To drive exploration, we implemented an "Artifact Gallery." Users unlock badges and collect virtual artifacts as they navigate the city, turning a standard tour into a reward-driven scavenger hunt.

Impact

Redefining the tour experience for a new generation.

By pivoting from a traditional guide-led model to a self-guided AR ecosystem, we solved the accessibility gap while creating a scalable, high-replayability product. The result is a tour experience that naturally attracts younger audiences and differentiates Big Bus in a crowded market.