I was skeptical when the castle admissions person handed me headphones and an audio-guide handset. I will be quite happy to explore the castle on my own, I thought dismissively, I’m not here for a lecture.
But when they told me Jamie Fraser himself (or rather Sam Heughan, who played the character on the Outlander show), as well as Terry Jones of Monty Python fame would be showing me around the castle through that little device, my whole attitude changed.
This isn’t a lecture, this is now an experience I very much want to have.
Audio Guided Technology (AGT) has come a long way since its early days, and museums and cultural attractions in particular are finding new ways to engage visitors through it. For the third edition of the Arival Guide to Self-Guided Tours and Audio Experiences, we explored the self-guided tour and audio experience landscape, with consumer and industry research, a series of interviews, and a systematic analysis of more than 70 audio guide and self-guided platforms. The resulting guide is packed with key strategies, best practices & platforms for tour operators and attractions to develop amazing self-guided tours and audio experiences.
Below we explore audio experiences in particular, as well as a list of 30+ Audio Guide Technology (AGT) platforms and providers. For more details see the complete Arival Guide to Self-Guided Tours and Audio Experiences, which is available at no cost to Insider Free and Pro Access members, thanks to our leadership sponsor Vox Group and featured sponsors Clio Muse and STQRY.
What are Audio Experiences?
Audio experiences, or Audio Guide Technology (AGTs), are self-guided audio experiences designed specifically for visitor attractions and museums. Historically, attractions have offered visitors physical handsets and headsets (hardware) to experience the audio guides, however more attractions are offering audio guides with mobile apps and smartphones (BYOD, or bring your own device).
Museums and Cultural Sites represent the biggest area of growth for SGTs and AGTs: 21% of museums plan to add self-guided products on top of the more than three in 10 that currently offer them.
For museums and another attractions, AGTs offer a way to elevate the visitor experience at a time when travelers are placing increased importance on the experiential elements of their trips. Many attractions are offering guided tours and VIP experiences to meet demand among affluent travelers, but AGTs can also offer a way to add an immersive element for travelers on a budget, or who prefer a more independent approach.
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30+ Audio Guide Technology Platforms
The Audio Guide Technology (AGT) provider landscape is comprised of a diverse mix of small, private and large companies. Most organizations are based in Europe, but nearly one in three are in the U.S. or Canada. We have identified 31 AGT platforms for the travel experiences sector.
There are three main categories of Audio Guide Technology represented here:
- Hardware Systems: Providers of primarily tour-guiding and audio-guide communications systems and hardware, including handsets, headsets and broadcasting terminals.
- Content & Software Platforms: Providers of software and apps for operators and attractions to create and offer audio guides and self-guided experiences.
- Full-Service Platforms: Larger organizations that provide a full suite of hardware, software, app and content development options to visitor attractions.
See the complete Arival Guide to Self-Guided Tours and Audio Experiences for more details on how the list was compiled, what is (and is not) included, and a second list focusing on self-guided tour providers.
The first three “featured listings” are sponsors of this guide. These featured listings do not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by Arival. All listings, whether featured or standard, are included to provide a comprehensive overview of Audio Guide Technology platform providers available in the market. Our goal is to help operators discover and evaluate potential partners that best fit their needs.
Featured Listing: Clio Muse
Clio Muse Tours is a platform for attractions and operators to create and
offer SGTs. Clio Muse Tours is headquartered in Greece.
Featured Listing: STQRY
STQRY is a platform for building SGTs and interactive experiences that improve accessibility and engagement. STQRY is headquartered in the U.S.
Featured Listing: Vox Group
Vox Group is a provider of devices, software and content for self- and group-guiding, AI-powered multi-lingual translation and destination management. Vox Group is headquartered in Italy.
Standard Listings
- Acoustiguide: Audio and multimedia guides, apps, and content creation services. Headquartered in the U.S.
- Ancient World: Audio guide and multi-media content with AR. Headquartered in Australia.
- Audiotours: Audio tours, apps and multimedia guides. Headquartered in Switzerland.
- Audiofetch: FetchExpress is a wireless tour guide system with built-in Wi-Fi. Headquartered in the U.S.
- Bloomberg Connects: Content and guides to over 800 museums and cultural institutions. Headquartered in the U.S.
- Bluehertz Audio: Audio guide systems and content. Headquartered in Spain & Germany.
- BMS Audio: Tour guide systems and hardware. Headquartered in Germany.
- Cuseum: Digital engagement app for attractions, including audio tours, multi-media, membership, etc. Headquartered in the U.S.
- Droeger (SIKOM): Multilingual communication systems and hardware for city sightseeing buses or ships. Headquartered in Germany.
- Fluxguide: Digital content services for cultural institutions and attractions, including audio guides and multi-media. Headquartered in Austria.
- Future History: Audio guides and multi-media content, including VR. Headquartered in Germany.
- Great Guide: Audio-guiding system for tour operators. Headquartered in the Netherlands.
- Guide ID: Audio guide device and software. Headquartered in the Netherlands.
- Guiding Group (SmartStreamingSolutions): Audio guide systems, apps and content. Headquartered in Germany.
- GVAM: App for attractions and cities to create audio-guided tours. Headquartered in Spain.
- Hearonymus: Audio guides and multi-media app. Headquartered in Austria.
- Implecho: Tour guide audio system. Headquartered in the U.S.
- ListenTech: Audio guide systems. Headquartered in the U.S.
- LiveTours: Audio guide system. Headquartered in the Netherlands.
- Look 2 Innovate: Audio-guide platforms for tours of attractions. Headquartered in Luxembourg.
- MySmartJourney: Platform to “do-it-yourself” self-guided tours for parks and attractions. Headquartered in Canada.
- Nubart: Browser-based audio-guide platform for tour operators and attractions. Headquartered in Spain and Germany.
- Orpheo Group: Audio guides and apps for attractions and cultural sites. Headquartered in the U.S.
- Otocast: Self-guided tours for attractions and destinations. Headquartered in the U.S.
- Retekess: Audio guide system. Headquartered in China.
- Smartify: App for museum audio experiences. Headquartered in the U.K.
- Sound Technologies: Tour guiding audio system for bus and boat operators. Headquartered in the U.K.
- V6E: Guiding system for bus tours. Headquartered in the U.K.
- Whisper System: Audio-guide systems. Headquartered in Malta.
- Xsite: Audio guides and multi-media apps with AI. Headquartered in Israel.
Did we miss anyone? Please let us know if you know an AGT platform or provider that should be on this list!
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Learn More about SGTs and AGTs with Arival
Get the complete Arival Guide to Self-Guided Tours and Audio Experiences, including insights on how to develop high quality and engaging self-guided tours and audio experiences, and two matrices of SGT and AGT platforms and providers. This guide is available at no cost to Insider Free and Pro Access members, thanks to our leadership sponsor Vox Group and featured sponsors Clio Muse and STQRY.
Insider Pro Access members can also watch our recent Insider Pro Meetup where Vox Group’s Andrew Lawrence joined us for an in-depth look at the latest trends and strategies in self-guided and audio-guided tours. Watch on-demand as we delve into Arival’s latest report and offer actionable insights to help you create engaging and profitable self-guided experiences.
Finally, consider joining us at Arival 360 | Valencia, where we’ll have a special breakout session exploring how several companies have developed self-guided tours and are using self-guided tour tech in their product offerings successfully.
Become an Insider Pro Access member today and get access to the full library of Arival research, plus many other benefits such as free consulting sessions, special discounts and 20% off in-person events, starting from $179 per year.
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Header photo: Pexels / Marcelo Chagas
